A Guardian's Protectorate
by BlackArch
Summary: Hey again. Here's the long-awaited second installment of the Guardians Trilogy. -It is my pleasure to present... the next chapter. Hope you enjoy this one. As always, I would love for you to express your approval through reviews.
1. Prologue

A Guardian's Protectorate  
  
Scene: It's been about a year since Cole had taken the duties of Guardian for the gate. He's still a little sad for the loss of his daughter, Kara, but his friendship with Phoebe has eased the pain a bit. Throughout the year, various demons have come after him for the gate, but with Phoebe and her sisters' help, he's been successful in protecting the gate. In this story, Cole will discover a few more things he'll have to do to protect the gate, besides your normal summon. I hope you enjoy! Oh, and if you haven't read 'Guardians', I advise you to read it first to fully understand what some of the references are talking about. This is number two in the Guardian trilogy.  
  
Disclaimer: Repeat after me...I DO NOT OWN CHAMRED OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS. I only own this little bit of fan fiction. (Oh, and of course the characters I made up and the demons, and any other characters you don't recognize from Charmed, except for Brad, who belongs to Julie. Thanks for letting me borrow him Julie!) ^_^  
  
Prologue  
  
Deep inside of a cave in one of the seven rings of hell:  
  
"Hmm...this new guardian they have appointed is quite different. Yes, he is. First of all, he is not alone, and he is very powerful in deed, I'll have to approach him differently than the other Guardians." a being said, sitting in front of a blood red pool. Surrounding it were candles and a few different skulls that didn't belong to humans. In the middle of the puddle, there was a picture of Cole and Phoebe, vanquishing the latest demon that had come after them.  
  
"Wait, that witch. There's something different about her. She seems too powerful to be an average witch." the sinister voice uttered with an intense concentration in his voice. As he stared into the blood red liquid, his mouth, that was pursed into a tight line from thinking, turned into a sinister grin as he realized just exactly who this witch was. "  
  
Well, well, well. Why if it isn't one of those infamous Charmed Ones. I can see why the Source himself had trouble with them. Hmm. What am I going to do about you, huh? I can't just charge head on, like those bumbling buffoons did." he said waving an arm, indicating the demons that had been vanquished.  
  
"I need to be discreet, sly. I have to make sure that I can open the gate, and then be able to release him to this reality. Here, he can finally destroy everything good in this pathetic world." he said. He had said good such vehemently, you could have sworn it was like acid. He paced around his private cave, trying to come up with a plan to release whatever was in that gate. Suddenly, he stopped pacing and grinned maliciously. A plan was forming in his mind, and he quickly rushed off to implement his plan.  
  
Back on earth, in San Francisco:  
  
"Whew, that was kind of harder than usual. Don't you think Cole?" Phoebe asked, turning to the man on her right.  
  
"Yeah, actually, he was a little harder than usual. I wonder what's going on. Too bad we can't ask 'them' up 'there'. I think they're still mad that Kara was killed while she was in my care." Cole stated sadly, his voice faltering as he spoke of Kara. It had been almost an entire year since he had gotten the gate, and when he met his daughter. He was still very sad from the experience, and 'they' were still mad at Cole for getting her killed. She had been, after all, a high-ranking official for the good side.  
  
"Yeah, I know Cole. You don't still blame yourself for that do you?" Phoebe asked, looking into his eyes. She was still madly in love with him. She just couldn't get involved with him, because she and her sisters think he could still turn evil. Phoebe thought differently though, deep in her heart, and she was just using that as an excuse. That reason though didn't stop her from being good friends with him, and she was grateful.  
  
"No. I'm just...you know. I'm just still sad, and I miss her a lot." Cole said, looking back down at Phoebe. He was taller than her, and he had to look down to see into her almond colored eyes. He too was still in love with her, but would never force her. Through their link, he could feel she loved him back, but it was more of a deeply hidden feeling, rather than one up front like his was. Since she didn't want to have an intimate relationship with him, at least not just yet, he didn't mind having a friendship with her.  
  
"Okay, if there isn't anything more, I've got to be going home soon." Phoebe said, feeling his love through their connection. She got a little nervous, and put up a few barriers. Cole sensed the barriers she put up, and tried to suppress his strongest emotions for her. She relaxed, slightly, and it helped him hide more of his own emotions.  
  
"Hey, why don't we spend some time together. We haven't seen much of each other for the past months, except to vanquish demons. I was going to go off and have a small anniversary the day after tomorrow." Cole said, giving her the hint through his eyes.  
  
"Anniversary for what?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"Don't tell me you forgot. It's almost been a year since I got this gate and since Kara..." Cole trailed off. He was of course referring to Kara's death, and it was always a touchy subject at least. Phoebe looked up, and she just couldn't resist those gorgeous blue eyes of his.  
  
"Alright." she said after sighing. Why bother? She couldn't resist him when he put on that face.  
  
'Yes!' Cole thought in triumph.  
  
"Where do you want to go?" Phoebe asked as she turned about to leave.  
  
"How 'bout a restaurant? I could pick you up or something." Cole suggested hopefully. Phoebe shot him a look. It was starting to sound a lot like a date. Cole saw the warning look in her eyes and slightly cringed.  
  
"Oh, no. It's not like that. I just want to spend time with a friend. You know, thinking about stuff, and remembering. Nothing more." Cole said. When he added that last part, there was a hint of sadness edging his voice. Phoebe felt bad now. She knew in her heart that he would never force her to do anything that she didn't want to do. If he said that all he wanted to do was have her company, than that was all he wanted. She stepped forward and stroked his cheek with the back of her hand.  
  
"I'm sorry Cole. Of course, you could pick me up. I don't care how, either with your car, or blurring." Phoebe said tenderly. She was saying this as an apology. When he took her hand in his, and squeezed it before letting go, she knew he had accepted her apology.  
  
"I'll see you then." Cole said. They turned away from each other and took their separate paths, knowing that theirs would always be intertwined if they were to ever be home.  
  
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Side Note: Ok, well, I know you guys really want Cole and Phoebe together, especially in the light of Cole's death :-(. That's why I'm making this a trilogy. I wanted to be able to portray the gradual change from untrusting, semi-hateful relationship, to friends, then finally back together. That'll probably either happen at the end of this story, or in The Seven Gates, which will be a while, seeing as how this story might take quite a while. Well, until next time, which will be soon, and don't forget those reviews. :-) 


	2. A Normal Day

Yay! Chapter 1 is here for your viewing pleasure. lol, just kidding. Really, tell me what you think of this one, will you? Thank you, thank you thank you! Oh, and the first few chapters kinda tells you what's been happening since the whole thing with Kara, and her dying, very sad, I know. Well, on with the reading all ready! :-)  
  
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Chapter-1 A Normal Day  
  
Cole woke up the next day with a kink in his back.  
  
"Ugh..." Cole muttered under his breath. The demon must have thrown him harder against the ground harder than he thought. He remembered that he had to go to work that day and he grumbled again. Then the memory of Phoebe accepting his invitation to the dinner severely brightened his morning. He got out of his bed and stretched, trying to take out the awful kink in his back. He went to the bathroom and took a bath and then shaved.  
  
After he had cleaned up, he changed and left for work. He didn't really feel like driving that day, so he decided to just blur to the office. He sensed to check if anyone else was in his office and saw that there was no one and he proceeded to blur there. As he sat down in his desk, his assistant opened the door, clearly not expecting him to be there.  
  
"Mr. Turner." Kathryn said in surprised. Usually, she was the one who came in first, and he would come in just at the nick of time. Today, it seemed he had just got there, and she didn't remember passing him in the hallway. She would easily remembered because he was quite handsome.  
  
"Kathryn, how are you?" Cole replied in return, taking out a few documents so he could work.  
  
"I'm fine, but how did you get here?" she asked looking him over. 'He really is quite handsome, and cute' she thought.  
  
"What do you mean?" Cole asked, looking up. He hoped he hadn't made a mistake by blurring here today. He didn't want to get his assistant suspicious.  
  
"Well, by the way you were just settling down, I'd say that you just got here, and I didn't see you in the hallway." Kathryn told him.  
  
"Well, I just stood up to get something, and you came in when I was sitting back down," Cole said, looking up at her. Cole asked her if there was anything else with the look he sent her.  
  
"Oh. Okay. Well, you have a meeting today at 11 and you have that trial to do at 3. In between, I was told that some papers would be faxed so you could file them out." she said, turning on her assistant face.  
  
"Ugh...more paperwork." Cole said as he made a face. Kathryn let out a suppressed giggle. Cole smiled back at her. She had become a good friend, and she was a very efficient assistant. He sighed after smiling and looked to the picture of him and Phoebe that he kept on his desk. Kathryn saw him glance at that picture on his desk. She noticed that he looked at it constantly and one time she had asked who it was. She found out that it was the ex-wife that he had divorced recently. She saw that it had caused him pain, and she knew how that felt. Though she had agreed on her divorce, it seemed that his wife was the only one that had wanted the divorce. \  
  
When she saw him look at that picture, she could see that he was still in love with her. What was it about that women that made him fall head over heels for her. She let out a sigh, because mainly, she found that she had a light crush on him. Cole had heard the sigh that Kathryn let out and he looked up from his picture to study her face. She seemed to be having trouble with something, and he wanted to know what was wrong.  
  
"Kathryn, is there something wrong? You know you can tell me. You may be an employee, but you are my friend." Cole said. 'He really has no idea does he?' Kathryn thought.  
  
"It's nothing." she replied, before promptly leaving his office. Now Cole was really concerned for his friend.  
  
At the manor:  
  
Phoebe had woken up early that morning like she did of late. She missed those days when she could wake up late and have Cole's arms around her. 'Whoa, where'd that thought come from' she wondered as she shook that thought. When she had taken a shower, she noticed a bruise on her arm that made a blue and black clawed imprint. 'Huh, I guess I got that when the demon grabbed me and tossed me into Cole' she remembered.  
  
When Phoebe got out and dressed, she walked down the stairs and called for Leo. She found him and the rest of the family eating their breakfast. Piper already had her baby daughter, and now Paige and her were proud aunts of Melinda. Melinda was awake and smiling in her crib that was next to Piper.  
  
"Hey you guys." Phoebe greeted them cheerily.  
  
"Hey Phoebe." they replied. Piper went back to looking over some stuff for P3 and Paige was looking at a spell she newly acquired.  
  
"And how's my little Melinda today." Phoebe said in a baby voice as she picked up her niece. The baby just gurgled in response and laughed as Phoebe softly threw her in the air less than an inch.  
  
"She's fine today. How 'bout you Pheebs?" Paige asked.  
  
"Oh, I'm just fine." Phoebe answered as she gently placed Melinda back in her crib. She suddenly remembered the bruise on her arm.  
  
"Hey Leo, could you heal this bruise I got from the latest demon after the gate?" Phoebe asked, rolling up her sleeve so he could heal it.  
  
"Oh, sure. Just exactly how did this happen?" Leo questioned as he took a second to look the bruise over. He then proceeded to heal it. A golden light came over the bruise and in a matter of seconds it was gone.  
  
"Oh, well I kind of got in the way of the demon when he was going after Cole." Phoebe answered.  
  
"Hmm, why didn't you just let him hurt Cole and then you destroy him?" Paige inquired. Everyone knew that Paige was the one who still totally distrusted Cole. She definitely did not like Phoebe's friendship with Cole.  
  
"Hmm, let me think about that Paige." Phoebe shot back sarcastically. "Maybe because it's our duty to protect the gate and set aside all personal agendas!" Phoebe said angrily and then proceeded to stomp out of the kitchen, leaving her sisters and Leo opened-mouth. She decided to go and talk to Cole. He was her closest friend besides her sisters and Leo. She walked up to his secretary's desk and asked if she could meet with him.  
  
"Who may I ask wants to have an audience with Mr. Turner?" Kathryn asks, not looking up. She was a little busy looking at her computer screen typing up a report for Cole.  
  
"Umm...this is Phoebe Haliwell, I'd like to speak with Mr. Turner privately." Phoebe answered. At the name of Phoebe Haliwell, Kathryn's head shot up. She knew that Cole's ex-wife's name was Phoebe. When she took a closer look at the woman who was standing in front of her, she recognized her from his picture on his desk.  
  
"Ah, yes, Ms. Phoebe Haliwell. Hold on one moment." Kathryn said, on the boarder of sneering her name out. Phoebe saw how this woman seemed to dislike her. She had no idea why because she had never seen this woman previously in her life. She continued to watch this Kathryn as she took the phone to her ear.  
  
"Mr. Turner?" Kathryn asked, not wanting to disturb him.  
  
"Yes Kathryn? What is it?" Cole asked a little wearily. For a while now, he'd been thinking about Phoebe and Kara. Whenever he did, he would usually breakdown. Kara, for the daughter he never got the chance to really know, and Phoebe, the love of his life, his soul mate who had rejected him. His heart always seemed to be made of lead at those times, and it would weigh him down all the way to the center ring of hell.  
  
"I'm sorry, am I interrupting you?" Kathryn said with concern in her voice. She knew of times when he seemed to zone out, and breakdown. Somehow, she knew that it was because of this woman who was waiting in front of her.  
  
"Why? Unless it's important, I would like to be left alone until my meeting at 11." Cole answered back. Phoebe could both hear and feel his sadness. Kathryn broke her train of thought though.  
  
"I'm sorry miss, but as you heard, unless it's important, Mr. Turner would like to be left alone at the moment." Kathryn replied, rather happily.  
  
"Cole? Are you there?" Phoebe called over the phone. She had noticed that Kathryn hadn't put the phone down and tried to reach out to him.  
  
"Miss, you have to leave now. He has asked not to be..." Kathryn trailed because she heard a cracked voice over the intercom.  
  
"Phoebe? Let her in Kathryn." Cole said. He flopped back in his chair, drying his tears. He didn't want Phoebe to see him like this. She'll probably ask what's wrong, and he just couldn't tell her. At least she's kept that part of her alive, that part that was compassionate towards everyone, that made her shine in this dark world. Kathryn on hearing this was quite mad. She covered it up though, and let her through. Why did he want to see this woman who made him hurt so much? Phoebe stepped into Cole's office and saw his back turned away from her.  
  
"Cole? Are you alright? You didn't seem too well over the intercom." Phoebe said, trying to get him to turn towards her.  
  
"Oh...I'm fine. Don't worry about me Phoebe." Cole said, trying to speak the bare minimum. If he spoke more, he'd probably break down more.  
  
"Cole, if this is a bad time, I can..." Phoebe began, but he quickly swiveled around. He had thought that the redness in his eyes was gone, but there was still a little redness around his eyes. Phoebe's heart nearly broke in two right then and there. She saw all the sadness in his eyes and face. Her heart was telling her to rush to him and kiss the tears away. Her mind though told her to remain where she was.  
  
"Don't worry about it Phoebe. Now, what's wrong? I could feel a little bit of distress from you on your way here." Cole said. He could feel her emotions tugging at his heart. He knew she had come to him to talk about it, so that meant that she had a small squabble with her sisters.  
  
"Well, from what I can see Cole, you seem to be in more pain than me. Tell me what's wrong. This whole friendship deal is supposed to be both ways right?" Phoebe said, trying to get him to open up a little.  
  
"Please Phoebe, let it be. It just hurts too much right now, I can't talk about it." Cole said. When she looked into his eyes, she could see him pleading through them. She was stunned, because he never begged, and when she looked over the emotions that were going through their connection, his heart was bleeding so badly, she nearly cried.  
  
"Okay Cole." Phoebe said, taking a seat in front of his desk. "Phoebe?" Cole questioned after a few moments of silence, where Phoebe could of sworn that she could feel his sadness fill the room. "Yeah, Cole?" she asked back. "Do youâE¦do you mind if you take a seat by me? I just need someone to lean on right now. A friend." Cole asked, desperately needing someone to hold on. His world was breaking apart, just remembering things.  
  
"Sure. Why don't we sit down on the couch?" Phoebe asked. Cole nodded in reply. They both stood up and sat down on the leather. When they both sat down, Cole rested his head on her lap and lied down on the couch. Phoebe didn't realize it at first, but she had instinctively begun stroking his hair gently. When she looked down a couple minutes later, she was surprised to see him asleep. Cole hadn't fallen asleep so quickly, and so easily. He supposed it was Phoebe's scent that he was inhaling. He always seemed to be calmed by her and he slept so quietly and peacefully like he hasn't in so long.  
  
Around 9:30, Phoebe remembered that he was going to a meeting at 11, and she gently woke him up. He looked up at her and he actually smiled. Not one of those mask smiles he used to cover up things, but that real smile that showed his feelings.  
  
"Hi." Cole said quietly.  
  
"Hey. I didn't want to disturb you, but you were sleeping so peacefully." Phoebe said, unable to help herself smile back at him.  
  
"Then why'd you wake me?" Cole asked, grinning.  
  
"Well I remembered your secretary mentioning a meeting at 11?" Phoebe questioned, trying to see if she remembered right.  
  
"Oh, crap! What time is it?!" Cole asked in a panic.  
  
"Don't worry, it's 9:35 right now. I wanted to wake you up with plenty of time." Phoebe said, grinning at how Cole had panicked. Cole relaxed greatly and grinned back at her.  
  
"Did you do that on purpose?" Cole said.  
  
"Well, yeah, kind of. I just wanted to see how you'd react." Phoebe said, grinning mischievously.  
  
"Oh, did you now?" Cole asked with a glint in his eye, as he approached Phoebe.  
  
"Cole, what are you doing?" Phoebe asked, with a laugh.  
  
"Oh, nothing." Cole answered, still approaching her, like a cat would stalk it's prey. His eyes still held that glint in them, and she was starting to get nervous. When she saw him tense up and flex his fingers, the realization struck her in the face.  
  
"Cole, no, no..." Phoebe began to plead, but it was already too late. He came at her and started to tickle her in the sides. She burst out laughing, feeling that Cole was feeling better, and that made her feel better. After a few minutes of rolling around, and Phoebe desperately trying to get away from Cole, they finally collapsed back on the sofa, exhausted.  
  
"Whew, that was fun." Phoebe said, wiping a few tears that had come from the immense joy that now filled her heart.  
  
"Yeah, that was, wasn't it?" Cole said, still grinning like a cat. That smile always made Phoebe melt, and even now, he still had a hold over her.  
  
"HmmâE¦I think you better get ready for that meeting." Phoebe stated, looking at the clock that now read 9:50.  
  
"Heh, that was worth the time." Cole said. "I better be going now, I'll see you tomorrow okay Cole?" Phoebe said, getting up from her seat. "Oh, yeah sure, I'm picking you up at 7, right?" Cole asked, confirming the time. "Yeah, at 7." Phoebe answered.  
  
"At 7 then." Cole said, repeating the time. They exchanged one last grin, before Phoebe exited his office. Cole sat back down into his chair. He felt a whole lot better now. He inhaled deeply, reveling in the scent. Phoebe's scent had invaded his office, and it was very relaxing for Cole. He looked back down to his document, and he didn't feel so bad anymore.  
  
A small smile played across his lips as he went over his memories of what just happened. Phoebe was walking home, intending to take the bus. She could feel that a lot of the sadness Cole had been feeling was now lifted. She was walking with a skip in her step that hadn't been there for a long time.  
  
She decided to walk home instead, and she proceeded to the manor, looking forward to spending time with Cole the next day. Suddenly, the thoughts crossed her mind. 'Restaurant? Dinner? Ah! What am I going to wear?!' she thought in a panic.  
  
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So...how 'bout that one? Yay, or nay? Tell me what you thought of this chapter, please. My muse absolutely refuses to work unless I get some kind of feedback, so, if you don't mind, drop a review for me, thanks! :-) 


	3. Memories

Hello again. Here's the second chapter, of A Guardian's Protectorate. Please, keep up those reviews. I do love them so, thank you. Now, on with the story. Lights! ^_~  
  
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Chapter-2 Memories  
  
Cole was actually whistling his happiness as he put on his tie. He was preparing to pick-up Phoebe from the manor. He had decided to pick her up the old fashioned way, by car. He had a brand new silver Porsche that he had just bought. He was almost ready for their evening. Even though it wasn't a date, he still wanted to look nice for her. He glanced at the clock above the fireplace. He exhaled a sigh and chuckled.  
  
"I guess I got ready a little too early. Oh, well, I guess I can just relax then." Cole said to himself. He then loosened his tie slightly and sat on the couch.  
  
At the manor:  
  
"Ah!" Phoebe exclaimed as she ran from the bedroom to the bathroom, in frantic search of something.  
  
"Phoebe, what's wrong? You nearly ran me over in the hallway." Piper said, looking into the bathroom.  
  
"Oh, sorry Piper. It's just that I was looking for my make-up and some other things." Phoebe said, looking over her face as she applied the make- up.  
  
"Where are you going? A date maybe?" Piper questioned suspiciously.  
  
"Um...no." Phoebe answered hesitantly. She hadn't quite told her sisters that she was going to see Cole. "  
  
Phoebe, I know you too well that you're lying. Furthermore, you've never acted like this unless it was a date with...oh, Phoebe no." Piper said, as she realized what was going on. Phoebe had heard the tone on her sister's voice. She then realized that she thought she was going for a date with Cole.  
  
"Piper, it's not like that! We're just going out for dinner and we're going to talk, that's all, nothing more, nothing less." Phoebe said quickly, putting on her earrings. She was trying to get ready at the same time as reassure her sister.  
  
"Hmm, dinner, talking, it sounds like a date to me." Piper said with an accusing tone. She raised her eyebrow in suspicion.  
  
"Piper, I mean it. We're just friends!" Phoebe said, exasperated. She quickly walked to her room to find the new dress she had bought. Piper quickly followed behind her.  
  
"Phoebe...." Piper began, but was cut by Phoebe.  
  
"No, Piper. It's the anniversary since his, our daughter died and he got the gate. I will not ignore this, now if you'll please excuse me." she said in an irritated voice. Piper was so shocked that she didn't realize that Phoebe had swung the door close. She walked to the stairs to tell her sister and husband.  
  
"Ah! I've only got like half an hour left!" Piper heard Phoebe exclaimed.  
  
About 25 minutes later:  
  
Paige, Piper, and Leo heard Phoebe coming down the stairs. Paige was really surprised by Phoebe's attire. For someone who was just going to have dinner, she sure dressed up. In a nice dark blue dress that went to her feet, she was looking very exquisite. When Paige looked closer, she was surprised to find that it was actually an Armani design and Paige was beginning to become suspicious.  
  
"Phoebe, why are you going on a date with that demon?" Paige asked angrily.  
  
"Paige, I am not having a date with Cole! We are just going to go and spend some time so that we can help each other right now." Phoebe explained. She was starting to get tired of having to explain her actions to her sisters.  
  
"Phoebe, why do you need to get help from Cole? We're here for you." Piper said.  
  
"I know that honey, but we need to do this together. I mean it's the anniversary of our daughter's death for Christ's sake!" Phoebe said, raising her hands and voice. The doorbell rang suddenly, stopping Leo from saying whatever he was about to say.  
  
"I'll get that." Paige said, still mad at Phoebe.  
  
"No, I'll get that." Phoebe said, heading Paige off at the door. When Phoebe opened the door, she smiled, while Paige frowned.  
  
"Cole, oh, how sweet." Phoebe said, as she took notice of the single peace rose he held in his hands. She could hear Paige snort behind her as if to say 'please'. Phoebe turned around quickly and shot her a look, then turned back to Cole.  
  
"You ready to go?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"Yeah, um, we're going to be driving to the restaurant if you don't mind." Cole informed her.  
  
"Oh, yeah, I don't mind." Phoebe said. When she looked over him, her heart was caught up in her throat. He looked gorgeous as usual. He was wearing a suit that was a deep dark blue, much like her own, but darker. It really brought out the blue in his eyes and the dark red tie he had worn really matched with the suit. She noticed that Piper was beginning to come, recognizing the voice, so Phoebe quickly began pushing Cole out.  
  
"Bye Piper!" Phoebe yelled, trying to get Cole out before he faced her sisters' wrath.  
  
"Um, Phoebe, what was that all about?" Cole asked as they were walking down the steps of the manor. He had noticed the odd behavior of Phoebe and her sisters.  
  
"Uh, well you see, I didn't exactly tell them I was meeting with you today." Phoebe said, hiding a small smile. Cole just looked at her for a moment, a little surprised. Then all of a sudden he burst out laughing and he had to grip his sides that hurt.  
  
"Hey." Phoebe said, letting her smile out as she playfully slapped him on the arm. Cole straightened up, his laughter dying down. He took a closer look at her and smiled again. She had dressed in a dark blue Armani dress that, in his eyes, matched him nicely. 'I guess we think alike still' Cole thought loving that idea. Until now, he'd only been watching her, and not what she was wearing. To him, it didn't matter, because he would think she was still beautiful no matter what she wore. The dress only made her look even more beautiful.  
  
"Cole? Cole? Hey, Cole." Phoebe called out waving her hand in front of his face.  
  
"What? Huh? Oh, sorry, I was justâE¦thinking." Cole said, trying to cover up what he was really thinking. Phoebe raised her eyebrow, trying to figure out what he was hiding. She gave a mental shrug and they continued to walk to his car.  
  
"Wow. Nice car Cole." Phoebe said, looking over his Porsche.  
  
"Thanks, I always had a liking towards Porsches, I have no idea why though." Cole replied, smiling. 'Good thing I got this car' he thought, as he opened the door for her and helped her inside. He got around and went in himself, and as he put the key in the slot, he still kept staring at Phoebe, or glancing at her. Phoebe noticed this and got curious.  
  
"What?" Phoebe asked in an amused tone.  
  
"Oh nothing." Cole said, covering up his slight blush and embarrassed emotions. Phoebe however felt his feelings and his struggle, she smiled inwardly, but she didn't dare show him. If she did, this night might take a turn she wasn't prepared to take.  
  
"So, we going or not?" Phoebe asked, changing the subject quickly.  
  
"Oh, yeah, sorry." Cole said. He then revved up his car, and quickly pulled out and drove really quickly to get to the restaurant.  
  
About 10 minutes later:  
  
"Wow. You drove pretty fast Cole." Phoebe said, glancing at the clock, which read 7:09.  
  
"Uh, yeah. I didn't want to be late, or else we would've lost our reservations." Cole said, making up an excuse. In reality, he couldn't stand being in a car for that long with her and not reach over and kiss her. She was way too close. He opened up the car door and escorted her to the restaurant. Phoebe gasped when she entered the building. It was covered in beautiful Italian wallpaper, and its arrangement inside was of an Italian design. It had white marble tiling as the floor and a grandiose ceiling, which made the place much bigger than it seemed. "  
  
Cole, it-it's beautiful." Phoebe managed to say as she looked around.  
  
"Yeah, I know, that's why I wanted to bring you here. I've been here a lot and I thought you'd like it." Cole said, with a laughing glint in his eyes. When he looked at her, it seemed like she was a child who was introduced into a candy store. He smiled at that thought and imagined her as a little girl. They walked up to the person who was checking a list. When he looked up at Cole he smiled.  
  
"Ah, Mr. Turner, how are you tonight?" he asked, clearly acting as though he knew Cole on a friendly basis.  
  
"Hello, we have reservations at 7:30?" Cole said, indicating Phoebe.  
  
"Ah, yes you do, one Cole Turner, and Ms. Phoebe Haliwell." he said cheerfully. He glanced at his book again and looked up at Cole.  
  
"The Ms. Phoebe Haliwell?" he asked curious.  
  
"Yes, this is her. Now may we please be seated?" Cole said. He didn't want Phoebe know he'd been here before for a few breakdowns before. The man who was in front of them was one of the friends he'd made recently and he'd told almost everything about what had happened.  
  
"Yes of course, Roberto!" he called to a man, clearly dressed in a waiter's attire. He came up and saw the two.  
  
"Right this way." he said as he turned to lead them to the table. Once they were seated, Phoebe looked around once more and noticed that they were in a secluded area and their area slightly curved for privacy from anyone seated in the opening that lead to the walkway.  
  
"Cole, what was that all about?" Phoebe asked. She was slightly confused; she didn't understand why the man and Cole seemed to be close friends. Not only that, but it seemed the man knew about her. When she thought about it more, she realized that Cole's secretary probably knew about her too.  
  
"Oh, it's nothing. I just came here a few times before we had become friends." Cole answered coolly. They sat in silence as they stared across to each other.  
  
"Phoebe....." "Cole...." They both said at the same time.  
  
"No you..." "Please..." After a few awkward moments, they both began to laugh.  
  
"Please Phoebe, go ahead." Cole said as he gestured her to continue.  
  
"Oh, okay. It's just that, I know you've been feeling a little down lately. Do you want to talk about it?" Phoebe asked tenderly.  
  
"Well, actually, yes. You well know that today is especially hard for me." Cole paused and took a breath. When he looked back up into Phoebe's eyes, he saw warmth there and it urged him to continue.  
  
"Ever since Kara...Kara died, I've just felt..." Cole trailed off, unsure of how to put his feelings into words. He'd always had trouble expressing his feelings to other people, unless he was drunk.  
  
"It's all right Cole, I know how you feel." Phoebe said comfortingly as she reached over the table and stroked his cheek. Tears had begun to fall down his cheeks. Like many times before, he had shed his tears in grief and pain. With Phoebe though, it felt like they were tears of release and it made his heart lift. Phoebe could feel how sad Cole had been a moment ago. Now, his heart felt lighter and Phoebe was happy she could help him.  
  
"Are you all right? Do you want to talk about her?" Phoebe inquired lightly. She didn't want Cole to feel as though she was pressing the matter. Cole felt how Phoebe didn't want to hurt him more than he already was. He took her hand in understanding, and looked into her eyes. There was an unspoken understanding between them, and they spent the rest of the time reminiscing their few memories of their daughter. Even through their dinner and afterwards, when Cole was dropping her off at the manor, Cole thought, 'this was a good night'.  
  
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So... what'd ya' think? I know, a little gooey, but hey, I need to put down their emotions and all. Tell me what ya' think, your questions, comments. And if you are going to write a flame, at least make it a constructive flame. Otherwise, it'll just be ignored. Thank you, and remember, keep writing those reviews. 


	4. Sore To The Eye

Hello, again. How have you been? Well, here's the next chappie A Guardian's Protectorate. Again, I must thank you all for reviewing. You've been keeping my muse full and happy all this time. Now someone suggested that I give Cole a hobby. Well, In this trilogy, he'll be a tad busy. And I think you people liked Kara will love this chapter. And sorry again for killing her.  
  
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Chapter-3 Sore To The Eye  
  
It was a couple days after Phoebe and Cole had their dinner together. Cole had actually been dreading the anniversary day of when he got the gate. He was afraid that thinking of Kara would feel too painful to bear. But spending it with Phoebe allowed him to remember his daughter as someone to always remember not someone to mourn over.  
  
He smiled to himself, as he sat in his office at his law firm. Since he was one of the top lawyers, his schedule was very flexible which allowed him to vanquish demons, and his work was easy enough. Since he had demonic powers, he was able to tell if a human was lying or if they were guilty of something. He was looking over a file for a case, when suddenly his eye started to itch like hell.  
  
"Ah, what the hell." Cole said, as he began to rub it. He couldn't have pink eye because he had his powers. Suddenly, he realized that the eye that was irritated was the one that held the gate. It became even more irritated, and then it stopped.  
  
He sat there, wondering what had happened. 'Was it just dust that got in my eye? Or was it the gate?' he thought, trying to find an explanation for the irritation of his eye. He shrugged and turned back to his file on his desk.  
A week later:  
  
"Ah, dammit." Cole muttered as he walked back to the living room in his penthouse. Phoebe had come over to visit him and catch up.  
  
"What's wrong Cole?" Phoebe asked, when she felt this little annoying feeling through their connection.  
  
"What? Oh, it's nothing. It's just this stupid little irritation that I've had all week." Cole said, taking his seat next to her on the couch.  
  
"Really, what's wrong?" Phoebe asked, seeing that something was bothering him.  
  
"It's just that the irritation, it's coming from the eye that is holding the gate." Cole said, voicing his worry to someone.  
  
"Hmm. Do you want me to ask Leo about it when I get home?" Phoebe asked, now worried because the gate never did this previously.  
  
"Well, I guess so, just to be on the safe side." Cole said as he let out a sigh.  
  
"So, how have you been the past week?" Phoebe asked, after taking a sip from the cup Cole had handed her. "  
  
Oh, I've been fine. You know, trials, cases, murderers, the common demon, you?" Cole replied, smiling a little.  
  
"Yeah, it's been a pretty boring week. You know I just realized that normal people wouldn't be casually inputting 'demons' in their conversation." Phoebe said smiling back at him.  
  
"You know, I was just thinking the same thing." Cole replied. They smiled and talked to each other a little while longer. They discussed the events of their week, and their plans for the weekend. It had been almost an hour, when Phoebe cut their conversation sadly.  
  
"Wow, we were talking for quite a while." Phoebe commented, glancing at her watch.  
  
Yeah, it seems we did. Come over any time, okay?" Cole said, accompanying her to the elevator.  
  
"Of course. Hey, and I'll ask Leo about the gate thing." Phoebe said, turning around slightly so she could see into his eye. She noticed that it was slightly red around the eye.  
  
"Oh, thanks." Cole answered, noticing her inspection of his eye.  
  
"It's fine Phoebe." Cole said unexpectedly. He had felt the concern through their link as well through her eyes.  
  
"All right Cole, I'll take your word for it. Call me if it gets any worse, okay?" Phoebe said, reminding him he could always call her.  
  
"Sure, I will." Cole answered, as the door to the elevators slid shut. He went to the living room and cleaned up their glasses and a few wrappers from a couple candy bars. All of a sudden, pain shot through his eye. He dropped the glasses, which shattered against the floor. His hand flew to his eye where the pain was overwhelming. He dropped to the floor, still covering his eye, afraid that anything outside would hurt him more.  
  
At the manor:  
  
Phoebe had arrived about 10 minutes later from Cole's penthouse. She really enjoyed the talk she had with him. She called out to see if anyone else was home.  
  
"Piper, Paige, Leo? Anyone home?" Phoebe called out.  
  
"Yeah, hi honey." Piper said, as she walked in from the kitchen. Leo followed behind her and was carrying Melinda.  
  
"Hey Piper, Leo. Hi Melinda." Phoebe said to her niece. She simply babbled in response and tucked her head back into her father's shoulder.  
  
"So, how was your visit to Cole?" Piper asked, her tone neutral.  
  
"It was fine. Oh, you reminded me. Leo, could you go find out something about the gate? For some reason, it's been irritating Cole's eye lately, and I said I'd ask you to see what you know." Phoebe said, turning to Leo.  
  
"Oh, sure. I'm just going to put Melinda into her crib." Leo said, as he carried his daughter to the nursery room up stairs.  
  
Cole's penthouse:  
  
It had been almost 15 minutes, when the pain finally subsided into a dull throb. When he picked himself up from the floor, where he'd been rolling around in pain, he found that pieces of glass had stuck to him.  
  
When he looked into the mirror of his bathroom, he saw that his eye was almost completely red, and the pupil was like a dark red instead of black. After changing, and removing the glass from his skin, he decided to blur to the manor.  
  
At the manor:  
  
Cole blurred in, just when Leo was about to orb out.  
  
"Cole!" Phoebe exclaimed, startled that Cole had come so soon.  
  
"Cole." Piper stated without emotion. She still didn't trust Cole, but had to at least tolerate him.  
  
"Phoebe, my eye, it just hurts now. My vision is a little blurred in that eye." Cole said, with pain edging his voice. Phoebe looked closer at Cole's eye, and saw that he was almost completely bloodshot through his eye. His pupil was a different shade of color than it should be it was somewhat red, blood red.  
  
"Leo, could you go up there and find out what's happening?" Phoebe asked scared now. She guided Cole to sit on the couch, because he wasn't quite walking straight due to his eye.  
  
"Do you want anything?" Phoebe asked, as she absentmindedly stroked his hair comfortingly.  
  
"No, I just want this feeling to go away." Cole said, as he clutched his face. He bent down and curled up in a guarding position.  
  
"What is going on here?" Paige asked as she came in the room. When she spotted Cole, she was about to start orbing things at him. She then saw Phoebe next to him, and he was in a curled up position. So she decided to ask instead of throw.  
  
"Something's going on with the gate that Cole has." Piper answered, when she saw that Phoebe was to busy trying to help Cole.  
  
"Yeah, so how does that explain why he's here." Paige said, hatred tinting her voice as she indicated Cole.  
  
"Well, Paige, where else was he supposed to get help with that gate? Up 'there'?" Phoebe said angrily as she heard Paige's voice.  
  
"Oh, whatever. So, what happened?" Paige said in a bored tone.  
  
"I don't know, pain started to shoot through my eye, and then it was too much so I fell to the floor. After that, when I was able to stand, I came here." Cole answered. He had sat back up, but he was still feeling that dull throbbing ache in his eye. Discomfort was written all over his face, and he didn't have the energy to hide it.  
  
"Well, did Leo go to ask what's wrong?" Paige asked, not wanting to really help.  
  
"Yeah, he already left, shortly after Cole arrived." Piper informed her youngest sister.  
  
"Okay, so tell me when he gets back. I've got to go get something." Paige said as she brushed past Piper and headed up the stairs. Phoebe felt the struggle that Cole was feeling and it hurt her more. Suddenly, blue orbs appeared, and Leo came from them.  
  
"Leo, that was quick. So, what's wrong, what's happening with the gate?" Piper asked her husband, worried about the gate.  
  
"Well, I don't know." Leo replied, struggling to hide something.  
  
"What do you mean you don't know? Why'd you come back then?" Phoebe asked, standing up. Cole got up too, but a little more slowly.  
  
"Because, I brought someone who does know what's going on." Leo stated.  
  
"Oh, and who might that be?" Cole questioned. His eyesight was a little blurry on his right eye, but he could still see clearly through his left. Phoebe raised a questioning eyebrow at Leo, as she pondered whom the Elders would have sent. Leo stepped to the side, letting the girl be shown. Piper, Phoebe and Cole gasped, when they recognized who it was.  
  
The girl was wearing what she had been wearing the day they first saw her. She had on a dark blue T-shirt, and black pants. She still had raven black hair, golden tan, and piercing blue eyes. Her voice had remained the same, even after a year as they all remembered her.  
  
"Hi, mom, dad." Kara said, a broad grin spreading over her face.  
  
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So? How was that? And yay, I brought back Kara! Plz, i need reviews, and thaxs for the ones i all ready got. 


	5. Return Visit

Well hello again. Glad to see you stuck around. Aren't you happy now that I made Kara alive again? Wasn't that a surprise? Well, i'll be keeping Cole and Phoebe busy through the whole story, so just sit bakc relax, and see what happens.  
  
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Chapter-4 Return Visit  
  
Cole and Phoebe stood there, gaping in shock. They had just been mourning this girl who, to their knowledge, had been dead for over a year. Cole had shed so many tears, crying over his lost daughter. Phoebe has been depressed since her daughter that she never got to know, died. Now, she stands in front of there, calmly as though nothing had happened. As if Cole had never wrapped his arms around her cold, lifeless body, and sobbed his despair.  
  
"Woo-hoo, mom, dad?" Kara said, smiling, as she waved her hands in front of her parents' face. They then snapped out of their state of shock. Since they were so caught by surprised, they didn't even notice that Kara had moved directly in front of them. Cole and Phoebe continued to stare at their daughter, confused, surprised, and most of all, happy beyond belief. Cole was the first on to be able to regain his voice.  
  
"Ka...Kara?" Cole said, the words strangled in his voice.  
  
"Yeah Cole?" Kara answered, turning to him. She looked up into his eyes, that were a near mirror image of her own. When Kara smiled, Cole lost his mind in the sense of overwhelming happiness. He dropped to his knees and hugged her so tightly, Kara thought she would pop.  
  
"Cole, Cole. Could you lessen your grip a little? I think you're going to squeeze me to death." Kara gasped. When he let go and looked at her, she felt this warm fuzzy feeling.  
  
"Mom? Are you all right? You look a little pale." Kara said, noting how her face looked. It was actually true what Kara was saying. Phoebe had turned a little pale. She then just lunged and hugged Kara, nearly as tightly as Cole did.  
  
"Phoebe, ah, can't...breathe." Kara said, as her words were again strangled by the embrace of her mom.  
  
"Oh, sorry honey." Phoebe apologized. She held her daughter at arm length, and looked her over. "I'm fine. Now, what we really have to worry about is Cole here." Kara said, indicating her father.  
  
"What? Why?" Cole said. He was still processing everything. The only thing getting through was Kara...alive....back....how? Cole stood there, again in shock. He didn't realize that Kara had guided both him and Phoebe to the couch to sit down.  
  
"How?" Cole blurted out.  
  
"I'll explain it later. Oh, I've missed you both so much!" Kara said, suddenly changing the subject. She then jumped in between the two, and hugged them both. Cole and Phoebe were both surprised, but then hugged their daughter back. For a long time, Cole and Phoebe had been happy, but not completely happy. Now, with Kara in their arms, they were happier than they had been for an entire year. Paige then came down, to talk to Leo, who she had seen at the base of the stairs.  
  
"Leo I......¦" Paige began, but stopped abruptly when she saw Cole and Phoebe hugging someone at the couch. When she approached them, she gasped.  
  
"Kara?!" Paige exclaimed, shocked and surprised.  
  
"Hi Aunt Paige." Kara said, her voice slightly muffled from the bodies of her parents. When Paige looked closer at Cole and Phoebe, she saw they were actually crying. They didn't seem to be crying out of sadness, but of happiness. It had been a long time since she's seen that from Phoebe, because, whenever she got a glimpse of Phoebe crying, she was always swallowed by despair.  
  
"Okay, okay. We've got to get up now, or else I'll be buried alive!" Kara called out from underneath Cole and Phoebe. Phoebe wiped her eyes with her hand and when she looked at Cole, she was reminded of why Kara had come. She saw his eye, but it was now completely red.  
  
"ColeâE¦" Phoebe said, not trying to alarm Kara. Cole than instinctively covered his eye with his right hand.  
  
"Don't worry Cole, I know what's going on. I think everyone would want to know, so, Leo, Piper, Paige. Would you like to join us here?" Kara said, a little bit of her cockiness showing through. Phoebe was reminded of when they first met Kara, and how she seemed to be a little arrogant, but still had this warm feeling about her.  
  
"Well, as you can see, something is wrong with Cole's eye." Kara said, looking at Cole's red, right eye. The only thing that wasn't red was his blue iris that seemed very out of place among the blood red color surrounding it.  
  
"Don't you mean there's something wrong with Cole altogether?" Paige muttered underneath her breath. Phoebe, Cole, and Leo shot her looks that made her put her hands up in defense. 'Of course Cole and Phoebe would defend Cole, but Leo? Oh, it must be because Kara is still a high-level being of good' Paige reasoned. Paige rolled her eyes at that thought, and blushed when she realized that Kara had seen it and grinned at her.  
  
"Well as I was saying. Cole's right eye, as you all know, holds the gate that he was assigned to guard. There seems to be something disrupting the gate, which is a big no, no." Kara said, pausing. Cole looked at Kara, asking her to go on. Then, as if he knew what she was thinking, he stood up and went to the kitchen. Everyone, including Phoebe, wondered why Cole had suddenly gotten up. When he came back, it was apparent what he had gone in search of. Cole handed her the glass and urged her to continue.  
  
"Ah, thank you. Mmm......orange juice. Hey you remembered." Kara said, looking up surprisingly at Cole.  
  
"Of course I remembered. Now please, continue, continue." Cole urged after grinning at the fact that she had thought that he had forgotten.  
  
"Okay. Now, you see, we suspect demonic actions, causing the gate to be disrupted. The gate was made of pure good magic. If it's disrupted, then the evil could be released." Kara said, then taking a sip of her juice.  
  
"Wait, what do you mean the gate was made of good magic? Isn't the whole, thing made of good magic?" Piper questioned.  
  
"No, you see....okay, this is kind of hard to explain. You see, the dimension is something akin to hell. Only we made it as a prison for an evil being. There was only one way in or out, and there was no way to block it. So, it took a very powerful guardian to create a gate in order to seal it up. If the gate were disrupted, then the gate would have nothing to block the being from coming out and he could decimate all things good." Kara relayed the information she had found. All of them sat there speechless.  
  
"By all things good, you mean....." Paige started, not quite grasping what Kara had just said.  
  
"Meaning that anything good, spells, beings, magic, even symbols of good, would be destroyed." Kara answered, a little annoyed that Paige hadn't gotten it. She never really felt that comfortable with her Aunt Paige. Probably because of the fact that Paige never really liked her father.  
  
"Ohh." Paige answered, than quieted. They sat in silence as they processed the information. Kara began to become bored, and fidgeted between her parents.  
  
"Who's the evil being who's disrupting the gate?" Cole asked, knowing that action needed to be taken, not sitting around on their asses pondering what might be.  
  
"Well, first of all, we need to take care of that eye." Kara said, halting him before he could protest.  
  
"How are you going to help him?" Phoebe asked. The sight of Cole's eye was starting to worry her.  
  
"Yeah, it would be nice to see other colors besides red." Cole quipped in.  
  
"Well, I'm going to connect us so that you can use some of my power to help reinforce it." Kara said, holding Cole's face to look into his right eye, inspecting it.  
  
"Um....okay. What do we need to do?" Cole asked.  
  
"Well, could we get like a knife or something?" Kara asked everyone.  
  
"Oh, sure, I'll get one." Leo said hurriedly.  
  
"Oh, no, don't bother Leo. I've got one." Cole said, raising a hand to stop him. He put his right hand in front of him, palm up, and an athame, with an intricate design, beautifully engraved into the golden hilt.  
  
"Wow Cole. Nice athame, very nice." Kara commented, taking it into her hand, looking over the hilt that she held up to her face.  
  
"The best for my girl." Cole said, sounding like a proud and beaming father.  
  
"It's sweet Cole. Now, I have to cast a small spell over it, so your blood won't burn the tip off." Kara said, still smiling up at him. She then bent her head down and started muttering a spell. She waved her hand over the athame and it glowed for a second and then returned to it's gleaming edge. All of a sudden, the blade turned into crystal. It looked even more beautiful now, gleaming with the beauty of gold at the hilt, and crystal of the blade.  
  
"Wow." Piper said in amazement, looking at the crystal.  
  
"Cool." Phoebe said, also looking at the blade, along with Piper.  
  
"Nice, Kara." Cole commented, inspecting the quality of the blade. It was very sharp and smooth.  
  
"Thanks. I work on my craftsmanship." Kara said, also looking it over, much like her father had just done.  
  
"Now, we have to make a small pinprick, and meld our blood together. Since we are already blood-related, we don't need to do the extra stuff for the ritual. So, just a little bit of blood, a few choice words, and we'd be done." Kara said, as she pricked herself on her under arm. Cole stretched his own arm toward her, and she pricked him in relatively the same spot. They pressed their arms together, and let their blood mix.  
  
Kara than said a few words in a language Cole or any of the others didn't understand, and then it was over. Cole looked at his arm, and was surprised to find that there was no mark at all from the prick. He then felt a shiver run down his spine and power ran through him like nothing he'd ever felt before.  
  
"Uh, just wait a few minutes, and the redness in your eye will die down." Kara stated, looking at his eye, waiting. Everyone waited for a few minutes, and Kara was right. The red faded away, showing the pearly white of his eye, and the deep blue iris that fitted him so well. His pupil returned to normal, and Phoebe let out a sigh of release.  
  
Cole grinned at her, telling her that she had shown outward concern for him. She grinned back at him, and slapped his arm playfully. That just made him grin even broader, and in turn made Phoebe let out a smile. Kara saw this and smiled along with her parents. 'Hey, maybe I'll be born here sooner than I thought!' Kara thought happily.  
  
"So, who's this being that's disrupting the gate?" Cole asked Kara, wanting to get back on track.  
  
"Well, his name is....."  
  
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So? So? Cliffy, isn't it? I'm sorry about that. I'll get the next one up soon, I promise. Well, as always, review plz. And thaxs for the ones you've given me all ready. 


	6. What Demon?

Yay! Here's the chapter 5 of A Guardian's Protectorate. I hope ur enjoying this so far. 'Cuz this is fun to write. I have a few things in store for Cole and Phoebe, and I want you, the readers, to sit back, relax and enjoy the story. Thaxs for the reviews, I really enjoy reading them.  
  
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Chapter-5 What Demon?  
  
"Well, his name is....Scier." Kara said tentatively. She breathed out the name as though it would bring death in front of them.  
  
"Sci....Scier? He's the demon who's after the gate?" Cole stuttered, in complete shock. Of course he'd heard of Scier. He was one of the demons who were higher than any other demon, higher than the Source himself. The only reason why he didn't come down and kill everything in sight was because he was bound to one dimension and one dimension only. The dimension was one of the seven rings of hell itself.  
  
"You know who this, Scier is Cole?" Phoebe asked, scared because a demon never made Cole this frightened, never made his eyes widen in terror. Seeing how Cole reacted, made Phoebe scared before she even knew who Scier was.  
  
"Yes, I do. He's one of the most powerful demons in history. He just can't come to this dimension because there are too many barriers, and he was bound to one of the rings of hell." Cole explained. He turned to Kara and tried to show her his fear.  
  
"Yes, Cole, you're right. The only thing now, is that he's built enough power to break his bond to the hell dimension. The good thing is that he still can't break into this one. But, he can break into the alternate ones, because they are only branches of this one." Kara informed them of what the situation was.  
  
"Phoebe, you and your sisters, enjoy the privilege of living in the original universe. You know of the theory of how for every decision, there is an alternate universe that is created for every choice you didn't make?" Kara asked, turning to Phoebe.  
  
"Yes, I vaguely remember someone mentioning that, why?" Phoebe questioned.  
  
"Well, that theory is correct. Well, partially anyway. There were more AU's created when you, Cole, were given the gate because, well, there was only one to give out of all the realities." Kara explained.  
  
"So? What does that have to do with the whole demon problem, with, what's his name? Scier." Paige asked, not quite getting it.  
  
"Well you see, Scier has built enough strength to pass through a number of barriers to get to a certain number of realities. He still can't get to this one, thankfully, but since he can get into the others, he can alter them." Kara said.  
  
"Wait, what? How can he alter them, and how would that effect us?" Leo asked, alarmed.  
  
"Well you see Leo, the new realities are supposed to be almost identical to this one. The only difference would be that the other realities would only differ from this one, only at the point where Cole receives the gate." Kara explained. She knew that the Elders didn't really share much information, and they didn't know this information.  
  
"Okay, anybody else confused?" Paige asked.  
  
"Uh, over here." Phoebe said, raising her hand. Kara let out a sigh, a little frustrated. She then understood that they wouldn't exactly be able to understand the situation to the full extent that she does.  
  
"Okay, in lament terms, Scier is changing the other realities where they shouldn't. Killing innocents that shouldn't die, saving ones that shouldn't, and convincing the Charmed Ones in the other realities to do things they shouldn't. Doing this will cause disruptions in countless areas, causing ripples through time and space. If everything isn't as it should be, the gate is disrupted. If it's damaged to an extent, then Scier will be able to release what's inside." Kara said, trying to make them understand.  
  
"Oh, now I see." Paige said, nodding her head.  
  
"Uh-oh, that isn't good." Cole commented.  
  
"Well duh, Mr. Obvious." Piper snorted.  
  
"So, what do we do about it?" Phoebe asked, looking to her daughter.  
  
"Well, I have to teach you and Cole a new trick. Then tell you all I can about Scier, and what you should do when you meet him." Kara answered her mom.  
  
"What are the chances we'll be able to save the world again?" Piper asked.  
  
"Well, in truth, very slim. But, I trust the five of you. You've saved the world quite a number of times, and I think you can pull this off again." Kara said, smiling up at her mom and dad.  
  
"So, let's get started. The world isn't going to wait for us while we sit here and talking." Cole said, rubbing his hands together.  
  
"Uh-uh. You and Phoebe have to go to sleep and rest up. Oh, and I'd take leave of absence at your work places, this might take a while." Kara advised.  
  
"What about me?" Piper asked, wondering if she should take time off too.  
  
"Oh, no, you'll be here to take care of your work." Kara said.  
  
"Um, Cole, I'll come with you to your work." Kara said, as she followed him walking to the hallway.  
  
"What? Why?" Cole asked curiously after spinning around to face Kara.  
  
"Well, I know how much time you take off, and I think having your daughter there could provide a substantial excuse. What better one than having to spend time with your daughter?" Kara suggested, as she smiled up at him.  
  
"Why, you're very sly aren't you?" Cole commented in a teasing tone.  
  
"Yup." Kara replied with a mischievous glint in her eye.  
  
"So, you're going to stay with me again, eh?" Cole asked Kara, walking a few steps to talk to her, before blurring back to the penthouse.  
  
"Yup." Kara answered again, shooting her dad a playful grin. Phoebe looked at the two as they disappeared to the penthouse their own ways. She hadn't seen Cole that happy in a long while. She really missed the Cole that smiled that really special smile that showed his emotions. She was really glad that Cole had Kara back and she was happy that she had Kara back too.  
  
"Phoebe, you coming? We're going to the attic to look up Scier." Piper called. Phoebe had apparently been staring at the spot where Cole and Kara were last, and hadn't noticed her sisters that had moved past her and walking up the stairs.  
  
"Huh? Oh, sorry, coming." Phoebe answered, snapping out of her reverie. She then quickly walked up the stairs to join her two sisters and Leo up in the attic.  
  
At Cole's Penthouse:  
  
Kara was sitting leisurely on one of the couches in the living room when Cole blurred in.  
  
"So, what took you so long?" Kara asked, smiling up at Cole.  
  
"You well know that you're faster than me Kara." Cole answered, struggling to keep a straight face at his daughter. He cracked a little and let a wry grin out. This made Kara smile even more, and soon, Cole and Kara were laughing outright. Cole let out a sigh, letting his laughter die down, and so did Kara.  
  
"That was fun. I've missed you Kara." Cole said, sitting down next to Kara on the couch.  
  
"I've missed you too, Cole, dad." Kara said, smiling at him, happy to be next to him again. They stared at each other in a comfortable silence, enjoying each other's company. Kara than inched closer to Cole and snuggled in Cole's side and Cole wrapped his arms around her, much like one time when she was with him the year before. Cole was amazed at how his arms fitted so perfectly around his daughter. It reminded him of how Phoebe fitted against him, and this gave him comfort.  
  
Kara inhaled the scent of Cole deeply, enjoying his warmth, and arms around her. She'd missed this feeling over the past year, and so desperately wanted to be in his arms, but she wasn't allowed to. She now enjoyed his embrace to the fullest, and soon fell asleep in his arms. A few minutes later, Cole heard Kara's breathing that was the steady rhythm of sleep. He looked down into her face, and it confirmed his guess, and he gently swept her up and carried her to his bedroom. He laid her down onto the bed and pulled the covers over her. She turned onto her side and moaned at the loss of Cole's body heat and comforting embrace of his arms.  
  
Cole smiled down at his daughter and got into the bed next to her. Kara was in that half-sleep, half-awake state, and didn't really know she was deposited into another place. All she really knew was that the warm fuzzy feeling was gone, and she wanted it back. She had let out a moan of complaint and felt a weight put onto the surface on which she was lying down on. She then squirmed until she was close to the heat source, and wrapped her arms around it. She felt the comfortable arms around her, and the warm breath, and she relaxed and slipped further into sleep. Unknown to them the demon, Scier, was keeping a close eye on the Guardian and his partners.  
  
"Hmm, interesting. This Guardian has a daughter. Oh, and a high-level good guy to boot. This will be fun." Scier sneered, as he observed Cole and Kara drifting off to sleep.  
  
"Be sure to get your rest. I'll be paying a visit to you tomorrow, and I want you to give your best shot at me. I haven't really had a challenge in over 2,000 years. I'll be seeing you." Scier said with such malice. He then grinned maliciously and laughed at what he had in store for them. His laugh could be heard for a 1-mile radius, and anyone who heard it, cringed in fear.  
  
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So? What did ya think of that one? Tell me, what do ya think of Scier? I just decided to make him like the main bad guy, and he'll be mostly responsible for the trouble that come across Phoebe and Cole. As always, read and review, will you? 


	7. First Reality Trip

Hi again! Sorry it took so long for this chapter. It's been a little hectic around my house lately, and I wasn't able to send in this chapter as quickly as I would've wanted to. Well, anyway, here's the next chapter of A Guardian's Protectorate. Enjoy, as always!  
  
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Chapter-6 First Reality Trip  
  
Cole woke up to the pleasant feeling of having his daughter in his arms. When he stirred a little, Kara moved a little, making herself more comfortable. Cole smiled down at her, and tried to get out, but Kara kept wiggling so it made it impossible for him to get away without waking her. He tried to get out one more time, before he would wake her up. This time, he was able to get up and stand, but Kara had kept wiggling in search of him, and she accidentally fell off the bed.  
  
"Oww!" Kara grunted, rubbing her head as she got up from the floor. Cole was struggling to keep his laughter inside, but a very large grin spread across his face as he saw his daughter come up.  
  
"It's not funny! Why didn't you wake me up or something before I fell off the bed?" Kara asked, still feeling a throb on her head.  
  
"Sorry, it's just that I wanted to get up out of the bed while not disturbing you. You, unfortunately, kept trying to find me in your sleep, and well..." Cole trailed off, telling her that she knew what had happened next.  
  
"Yeah, well, wake me up next time. It would be a whole lot better than waking up with a bump on your head." Kara grumbled. She massaged the spot one more time, than looked up at Cole.  
  
"Oh, well. You want me to make breakfast?" Kara asked.  
  
"Oh, no you don't. I am not going to let you cook. I'm going to make breakfast, and you," Cole said, pointing at her playfully, "are going to relax, and wait. I'll give you some orange juice while you wait."  
  
"All right." Kara said, walking out of the room, and sitting on the couch. Cole was coming from the kitchen, with orange juice in hand, and he gave it to Kara then sitting on the couch next to her.  
  
"Where's breakfast?" Kara asked suspiciously, raising her eyebrow.  
  
"Well, that's the funny thing you see...I kind of burnt it to a crisp." Cole said, remembering the ashes of the food he attempted to make. Kara looked at him for a moment, and then burst out laughing. Cole looked at her, his pride a little hurt, and then burst out laughing as well.  
  
"As funny as that is, I am still a little hungry." Kara stated, after letting her laughter die down.  
  
"Well, I was thinking of getting our breakfast somewhere, like a buffet, or something." Cole suggested.  
  
"Um...sure. Oh, wait. What about you having to take time off?" Kara asked, remembering their situation.  
  
"Oh, that. Well, we can stop off at my office, and then go and have breakfast. It would look better for my story, actually having you there." Cole said, thinking up the plan very quickly.  
  
"Okay, let's go then. Well, after you change, of course." Kara said, looking at his attire. He was wearing boxers only, and Kara imagined what it would've been if he had gone out. Cole looked down as well, and nearly laughed again.  
  
"Hold on." Cole said, blushing. He had almost forgotten that he had changed shortly after Kara had gone to sleep.  
  
"Okay." Kara responded, hiding her smile, as Cole rushed off into his bedroom to change.  
  
Soon, they were walking the hallway to his office to grab a few things, and then they would file for some leave. Cole had changed into some jeans, and a red sweatshirt. A few of his co-workers looked at him strangely for two reasons, one they'd never seen him in anything other than a 3-piece suit, and second, they didn't know who the little girl was walking next to him.  
  
"Mr. Turner." Kathryn said surprised. 'Damn, he looks hot in those jeans,' Kathryn thinks to herself. She notices the little girl next to him and was surprised. He didn't really seemed like the type to hang out with children.  
  
"Who's she?" she questioned.  
  
"Oh, this is my daughter, Kara. Kara, this is Kathryn." Cole said, introducing them.  
  
"Daughter? I wasn't aware that you had a daughter." Kathryn said. 'I'm just getting a lot of surprises today aren't I?'  
  
"Hello." Kara politely greeted Kara. As they shook hands, Kara got a slight glimpse into her feelings, and she smirked inside. 'So, she has a light crush on my dad, does she?' Kara thought. She thought for a few moments, and thought, 'Eck!'  
  
"Hmm? Oh, well, I was just stopping off here to file for a week's leave to spend some time with my daughter." Cole answered, holding Kara's hand.  
  
"Oh, okay. Why don't I just file that for you, and you two can just go now?" Kathryn offered.  
  
"Thanks Kathryn. I'll see you in a week then? Okay, bye." Cole thanked and then gave her one more smile, and then turned to leave.  
  
"You do know that she has a crush on you right?" Kara asked, grinning broadly, looking up at Cole as they exited the building.  
  
"What? No she doesn't, does she?" Cole asked, not believing her.  
  
"She does Cole. I don't blame her though." Kara asked, smiling some more.  
  
"Hey, what does that mean?" Cole asked. His daughter was good at keeping him in the dark. Very good.  
  
"Well, I have the ability to read some emotions to a certain extent. When we shook hands, I kind of felt that from her, so....." Kara answered, not having to finish the sentence.  
  
"Oh." Cole said, not knowing how to respond to that information. They then went to a local place, where they got their breakfast. Afterwards, they went and spent some time with each other, walking, talking a little.  
  
They soon found themselves at the doorstep of the Haliwell manor.  
  
"Uh....Kara? How did we get here? I don't remember heading here," Cole asked confused.  
  
"Well, it mainly has to do with the fact that you're supposed to be here." Kara answered cryptically.  
  
"Right. Sure, let's just go." Cole said, not wanting to make sense of that. He rapped the door with his fist, and stood patiently awaiting them to answer.  
  
"Hey, I'll get that." Cole heard someone call behind the door. He wasn't quite sure who it was, and hoped it was Phoebe. Unfortunately, it wasn't her. As the door opened, his smile fell into a neutral place, as he saw Paige, standing there a little shocked to see him standing in front of their house.  
  
"What do you want?" Paige asked tersely. She was desperately holding back the urge to throw something at him.  
  
"Um...I'm not sure. Kara, would you like to answer that?" Cole asked, turning behind to look at her.  
  
"Well, what we have to talk about, we have to go inside for." Kara answered.  
  
"Okay, Paige? Do you mind if we step inside?" Cole asked.  
  
"I mind you coming in, but not Kara. So come on, I'll call everyone else." Paige stated, her anger towards Cole hinting through. Both father and daughter followed Paige in quietly, just glancing at each other to exchange quick smiles.  
  
"Phoebe! Piper! Kara and Cole are here!" Paige yelled, calling her two older sisters.  
  
"Coming!" Phoebe called from upstairs. Cole's heart got lodged in his throat when he heard her voice. Kara noticed he wasn't breathing much and nudged him in the ribs.  
  
"Cole, breathe, and relax." Kara whispered.  
  
"Oh, sorry." Cole replied apologetically. He blushed slightly, and glanced at Kara. He found her grinning at him for some odd reason. He was about to ask her about this, but just then, Phoebe and Piper came down the stairs.  
  
"Hey Cole, Kara. How have you been?" Phoebe asked, trying to put a mask over her excitement of seeing Cole again. Naturally, she was happy to see Kara, but Cole...that's another story. Kara could feel the happiness waves, literally, coming off of her mom. She hid her smile and regained her composure and looked at both of them.  
  
"Well, since Cole has no idea why we're here, I guess I have to know shouldn't I?" Kara said, discreetly interrupting the two who were staring at each other. Her voice had broken whatever it had been, and Cole and Phoebe gave a mental shrug, as did Cole.  
  
"So, why are you here, not to be rude, Kara?" Piper asked politely of her niece. She felt silly having to act so politely to her own niece, but after all, she was a little higher on the power chain. Scratch that, she was a lot higher on the power chain.  
  
"Oh, it's nothing really. I sort of guided Cole, indiscreetly, to the manor, because I had to train him and Phoebe to open a rip between dimensions." Kara calmly said, as though it was nothing out of the ordinary. Phoebe and her sisters were staring at Kara with their mouths gaping open. Cole just stood off, sort of to the side, thinking solemnly.  
  
"So, when are we going to start?" Cole asked quietly. Cole's question had shook everyone back to the present and they blushed, trying to cover their astonishment.  
  
"Well, we have to start right away, unless you want Scier to make that gate come very painfully out of your eye." Kara said, speaking to Cole.  
  
"Oh, well, we wouldn't want that to happen." Paige muttered sarcastically. Kara shot her a glance that made Paige regret saying it out loud.  
  
"So, do we have to go anywhere special?" Phoebe asked, remembering where they had to go for their first physical training lesson a year ago.  
  
"Well, actually no. If the situation were different, then I would take you back to the meadow, but since we're running short on time, we'll have to do it here, or at Cole's penthouse. If you don't mind, I'd rather do it at Cole's penthouse." Kara said.  
  
"Oh, okay. Should Piper and Paige come along?" Phoebe asked, stepping closer to Cole.  
  
"Um...sure, why not." Kara answered. They then transported to Cole's penthouse via their own way. Paige with Piper, Kara on her own, and Cole and Phoebe, to Piper's and Paige's displeasure, and Kara's amusement.  
  
"So, what are we going to do?" Phoebe asked, when they all arrived at Cole's penthouse.  
  
"Well, I'm going to show you how to create a rip between the different alternate realities that you'll need to get to in order to stop Scier." Kara answered her mother, in a neutral voice.  
  
"Wait, didn't we already learn this?" Cole asked, as he remembered in the field about something of ripping a hole in two dimensions.  
  
"Well, I taught you something similar to it. I taught you to open a dimensional gate, not a reality gate." Kara answered.  
  
"What's the difference?" Piper asked, not seeing there was one.  
  
"Well, a dimension is completely separate from a reality. The line between this dimension and another is very distinct while with a reality it's a little blurred. The other reality can be so similar to this one, it's hard to differentiate the two." Kara explained as her family intensely listened to her. They all got the feeling that they would need this very soon.  
  
"Now Cole, I want you to first try it." Kara started, but Cole interrupted.  
  
"Sorry Kara, but I want to know something. Why can't we go to that meadow?" Cole asked. He really wanted to revisit that place, because it gave him such a feeling of peace.  
  
"Well, the meadow gives you a boost of magic, and I want you and Phoebe to be able to do this of your own accord." Kara said, looking up at her father apologetically.  
  
"Oh, I see. Okay, then I understand." Cole said, sincerely. Kara flashed him a smile before she continued. "Okay, just try to remember how to rip a hole to another dimension. Only this time, try to rip a hole into this dimension. As you do, you should be sensing slight differences in the air, which are the other dimensions. Try to rip into one of those, and I'll check how you did." Kara said, guiding him through what to do. Cole did as Kara said, and he was concentrating deeply on his surroundings. He detected slight differences in the air, and prodded a few of them. He then decided to rip into one in particular for no apparent reason. When he tried, it took a great deal more effort than he remembered. Suddenly, something Kara had said came to the surface of his mind.  
  
"*The meadow gives you an extra boost of magic*" Kara had said.  
  
He grimaced at that, because everything else would be harder to do as well. 'Except for summoning demons, because you've been doing that for a while now' a voice said, giving him a little bit of reassurance. Cole then refocused all of his thoughts on the rip, and forced it open. Soon enough, there was crackling through the air, and a rip appeared in front of him. By now, he was sweating furiously, but he wouldn't leave a job halfway done, so he continued on.  
  
"Cole, that's enough. It'll remain open for a few seconds, so hold on." Kara said, placing a hand on his arm, giving him a physical signal to stop. She then calmly walked to the rip, and poked her head inside, as though it was like sticking your head in the refrigerator. Phoebe and the rest were staring in shock, amazement, and worry. Kara then promptly pulled her head back out, smiling.  
  
"Very good Cole. Did you bother to use your vision to look into which reality you were opening?" Kara asked, a little amused. Cole was observing her face wondering why she was acting amused. The thought hadn't even occurred to him to use his sight. He was a little embarrassed that he would forget that.  
  
"Um...I kind of forgot I could do that, so no. Why? What was in there?" Cole asked curiously. "Oh, nothing, nothing." Kara responded innocently. Cole thought her response sounded too innocent, so he knew she was lying.  
  
"So, now what are we going to do?" Paige asked, going over what she had just seen.  
  
"Well, Cole and Phoebe will have to travel to the reality where Scier went and fix what ever is wrong with it. I'll send you to the right point in time that he had screwed up, and you," Kara said, indicating Cole, "will put yourselves in the right place. In other words, you provide the place, I provide the time." Kara said smugly. 'At least that part is done' Kara thought to herself.  
  
"Okay, uh, I'm guessing here that Phoebe will know what's wrong if we get to a point before I was there." Cole said, turning to Phoebe.  
  
"Well, of course, it is my life." Phoebe said, rolling her eyes at him.  
  
"All right, so let's get to it!" Kara said, clapping her hands together enthusiastically. Kara connected herself to Cole briefly. He looked concerned at first, but Kara reassured him, and he relaxed. She already knew where Scier was, and when, so she told Cole via their link. Cole nodded, showing that he knew where to go. He used his sight, and shifted through the different realities. He found the correct one, and opened his eyes.  
  
"Okay." Cole simply said. Then he concentrated and began to make another rift. Kara stopped him though, and he looked at her questioningly.  
  
"Uh, there's one thing I forgot to tell you Cole. You'll only have a few of your powers. Those would be, energy balls, blurring, pausing time, and transmogrification. Those will be the four physical powers that you'll be able to use, not counting any telekinetic powers you have." Kara said, informing him of his restrictions.  
  
"Oh thanks for telling me." Cole said, slightly annoyed. He then went back to creating a rift and after a few moments of deep and hard concentration, he created a rip.  
  
"C'mon Phoebe, it's not going to stay open for long." Cole informed, feeling it begin to collapse.  
  
"Okay." Phoebe said, following him. She quickly took his hand and followed him in. As she entered the rift, she felt like she was being ripped apart from the inside. The only thing she could really feel was Cole's hand. She was glad that she had taken hold of his hand before she entered. When she emerged, she took a huge gasp of air, and tried to get oxygen to her lungs. She was crouched down, resting her hands on her knees, when she felt Cole's hand on her back.  
  
"You okay?" Cole asked, concern written all over his face. Phoebe could only nod in response, still a little shaken up.  
  
"Why hello." a voice said from behind them. They whirled around, to find someone standing behind them, with a grin on his face. From the cold look on his eyes, they knew he wasn't human. Especially when his eyes turned blood red.  
  
"Scier..."  
  
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Ooh, another cliffy! :-) I'll try not to keep you in suspense for too long this time, anyway. As always, review, and thank u for the ones you dropped my way all ready. I just love 'em. They keep me writing. 


	8. So, What's Wrong With This Picture?

Chapter-7 So…What's Wrong With This Picture?

"Scier…" Cole whispered in fear and terror. He had never imagined he would come face to face with such a powerful demon.

"Oh my God. Cole, that's…" Phoebe trailed off, not able to finish her sentence, even her voice barely audible. She hadn't quite expected to meet Scier once she got out of the rip between the two realities.

"I found out some things about you, Guardian. You were once the mighty Belthazor?" Scier stated, disgusted. He gagged at the thought that a demon would turn to good, and become the guardian. He gave a terse laugh that sent shivers down Phoebe and Cole's spines. 

"Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I've got to go mess up your lives in other realities. I've just finished this one, so, have fun." Scier said with great pleasure, as he saw the effect his words were having on the two.

"Oh, and I'll see you two later, bye." Scier said, then turning, and casually waving a hand, creating a rip and he calmly walked into it and disappeared.

Phoebe let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Cole was staring at the space where Scier had been standing.

"Co…Cole? Are…are you all right?" Phoebe asked shakily. She didn't think that Scier would have this much effect on her. 'Damn, where's that cool, calm, and level-headed Phoebe when I need her?' Phoebe cursed in her mind.

Cole still hadn't answered her, but merely stood there, seemingly still in shock.

"Cole, you've got to snap out of it, we got to go." Phoebe said, her tension sneaking into her voice. She knew they had to stop Scier, no matter what he did to her.

"You…you're right. Le-let's go." Cole stuttered. He took her hand, and suddenly realized he didn't know where to go.

"Um…Phoe-Phoebe? Where are we going?" Cole asked sheepishly, still stuttering a little.

"If we want to know if there are any major changes, we should go to the manor." Phoebe said, regaining her strength a little. Cole nodded, and blurred her to the manor.

When they got to the manor, it seemed normal. A little too normal for Phoebe's taste. She took a look around and came back to Cole where he was waiting.

"There doesn't seem to be anything out of the normal here. There isn't anyone here either, which is strange because Piper should be home because of her pregnancy." Phoebe said, wondering why Piper wasn't at home.

"Oh, well, she might not even be pregnant yet in this reality." Cole said, more to himself than for Phoebe's sake. When he saw the questioning look on Phoebe's face, he proceeded to explain.

"Well Kara gave me a specific point of time, and I think is the past. She might not even be pregnant, so…"

"Oh…" Phoebe said.

"Cole! Are you here?! We gotta tal…what the hell?!" Piper said, evidently calling for Cole, but she stopped short when she saw Phoebe.

"Hey, Piper, is something wrong?" Cole asked, glancing at Phoebe to play along. She nodded so slightly you would barely recognize it as a nod.

"Yeah, something definitely wrong. What is she doing here?" Piper asked, her voice laced with anger, as she pointed at Phoebe.

"What do you mean? Shouldn't I be here?" Phoebe asked, a little confused.

"Last time we checked, the Source of All Evil didn't usually come strolling in to the manor of the Charmed Ones." Piper responded sarcastically.

"WHAT?!" Cole and Phoebe exclaimed.

"Hey, Piper, I heard you calling. Sorry it took me so lo…" another Cole said, as he trailed off when he saw Phoebe.

"Okay, now I'm confused. Worse, this is starting to get a little too freaky for me." Phoebe said, sitting down and rubbing her temples.

"Hmm. Well this is an interesting twist." Cole muttered.

"What do you mean?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, it seems here, that you're the Source of All Evil, and I, apparently, am working with you and your sisters." Cole explained to Phoebe what he'd so far concluded.

The AR (Alternate Reality) Piper was looking back from the AR Cole, to the other Cole.

"Okay, could someone please tell me what's going on!" Piper demanded.

Cole grumbled and sat down next to Phoebe, a very large migraine coming over him.

"Cole, could you go and get Leo? I think maybe he could help here." AR Piper said to AR Cole. He simply nodded and orbed out.

Phoebe and Cole had been watching them, and their mouths hung open from shock, and disbelief.

"Did I…"

"Did you…" Cole began.

"Did Cole just orb?!" both exclaimed, letting it out.

"Of course he did Phoebe, you know that all ready." Piper sneered at her. Ever since Phoebe had become the Source, she had always been trying to get Cole back, since he came back from the dead.

"No, I didn't. And, FYI, I'm not who you think you are." Phoebe said, still annoyed at what she and Cole now had to do.

Suddenly, two sets of blue orbs appeared, and AR Cole and Leo appeared.

"Piper what's going on…what is she doing here?" Leo asked angrily, indicating Phoebe.

"I don't know, I thought you would." Piper replied, eyeing Phoebe and Cole suspiciously.

"God, I wish Kara had come with us, then maybe she could clear up a few things." Cole said, getting a little more agitated.

"Cole, you need to kill Phoebe. It took me a while to convince the Elders that they could trust you, don't make me look like I lied to them." Leo said to AR Cole.

"But, something's not right, this Phoebe doesn't seem evil at all. And who's he?" Cole said, noticing Cole.

"Oh, for God's sakes! I'm you! I just want to get out of this confusing reality. Phoebe, we can all ready see what's wrong with this one. You're the Source, and it seems I'm a Whitelighter." Cole said to Phoebe, a little disgusted.

"Okay, but how do we fix it? We can't go back in time from here, so…" Phoebe said, not knowing what to say.

"You've got a point though, I have no idea. Maybe I can get into contact with Kara from here. Didn't she say that where she existed, it was looped through all of the realities?" Cole questioned Phoebe, an idea coming to mind.

"Yeah, I think she did, why?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, maybe this Cole can get in contact with her, and she can sort of help us out here." Cole suggested.

"Hey, hold on! We don't even trust you, especially not you," Piper said, indicating Phoebe, "so why should Cole go up 'there' for you?" Piper exclaimed, tempering her rage.

"Well, let's just say the universe is in trouble, and this particular reality is thoroughly screwed up." Phoebe said calmly.

"Cole, I think we should just go check on their story, and see if there is a Kara up there." Leo said, tugging on AR Cole's arm.

"Uh-huh." AR Cole said, stealing one more glance at Phoebe before he orbed with Leo.

"So, what are we supposed to do with you?" Piper asked, looking at Phoebe and Cole suspiciously.

"Well, I guess we wait for your Leo and Cole to get back." Cole stated matter-of-factly. He relaxed on the couch, and closed his eyes.

"Cole? How are you able to relax at a time like this?" Phoebe asked exasperated.

"Well, I want to save my strength for Scier, so I suggest you relax when you can also." Cole answered. He then closed his eyes again, and promptly fell asleep.

Piper observed them squabble, and she was reminded of how they used to be before the whole Source ordeal. 'Maybe they are telling the truth. No matter how far-fetched it sounds' AR Piper thought.

"So…who are you exactly?" Piper asked them, approaching them cautiously.

"Cole, do you think that we should tell her?" Phoebe asked, looking to him, lightly jabbing him in the ribs to wake him.

"Huh? What? Oh, sure, whatever." Cole groggily said, then falling back to sleep. It seems that opening the rip took a lot more out of him than he thought. Phoebe let out an exasperated sigh, and just though, 'why the hell not?'

"Piper, I'm your sister, just not from this reality, and Cole and I are here to fix this reality. Following me?" Phoebe said bluntly, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.

AR Piper stared at Phoebe, who wasn't her Phoebe. 

"Ugh…now I have a headache." Piper grumbled. This got a chuckle from Phoebe.

"Join the club." Phoebe muttered, glancing over at Cole.

AR Cole and Leo then orbed in, and Phoebe gently woke him up as AR Cole and Leo approached them.

"Huh? Oh, they're back." Cole said, uninterested. "Wait, is Kara with you?" Cole asked suddenly, remembering what he had said.

"Well, no. We couldn't bring her, because she's not allowed to cross over to other realities. We were told though to trust you, and the order came from very high up." AR Leo answered. Cole snorted, as though expecting that response.

"What?" Phoebe asked Cole.

"Oh nothing. Just thinking that Kara's 'friends' up 'there' had something to do with it." Cole responded.

"Something just occurred to me, how long do you think we can stay here?" Phoebe asked, alarmed.

"Huh, I don't know. Oh well. We should just finish this as soon as we can, because I don't want to take the risk. Do you?" Cole answered.  
Phoebe simply shakes her head in response, and goes back to thinking.

"What can we do to help?" AR Piper asked, listening in on what they were saying.


	9. Fixer Upper

Chapter-8 Fixer Upper

Cole and Phoebe looked up to look at Piper. At least, one of the many Pipers. 'She looks so much like Piper, but there's something different,' Phoebe thought looking her over.

"What?" AR Piper asked, when she caught Phoebe staring at her.

"Oh, nothing. It's just that you look a lot like our Piper in our reality. The only difference would be you look like you did before you had Melinda." Phoebe explained, as AR Piper's face contorted into one of suspicion, into one of shock.

"What?!" Piper asked shocked. She had always wanted a child, especially when she saw Melinda when the Elders had transported them to the future.

"What?!" AR Leo exclaimed, astonished. Phoebe knew that he had always wanted a child, and he seemed very shaken from the discovery that he was going to have a child with Piper in another reality.

"Yeah, you're pregnant. Congratulations, again, and you too Leo." Phoebe said, realizing that AR Piper was shocked to hear that. Phoebe chuckled at the thought that her sister didn't know that she had a child.

"Yeah, congrats Piper, especially since I didn't find out about it, because no one bothered to tell me." Cole muttered under his breath.

"I'm sorry Cole, I'll be sure to tell you about any news." Phoebe said, teasingly mocking him with a baby voice. 

"Why thank you Phoebe." Cole mockingly thanked her. He was trying to restrain a smirk, but lost after a few seconds of looking into Phoebe's eyes. He broke into a smile and began grinning at her madly.

Phoebe smiled back at him, not able to keep a smile back.

"Are you two an item?" AR Piper asked suspiciously, happy that somewhere, Cole and Phoebe could be happy.

"Um…" Cole said, uncomfortably. He glanced up at Phoebe, looking at her apologetically. She looked back at him with understanding in her eyes.

"It's okay Cole, she doesn't know." Phoebe said, showing that she didn't mind the question. "You see Piper, we aren't together, we're just friends. We decided to be just that because well, I wasn't ready for anything deeper." Phoebe confessed, turning to the AR Piper. AR Piper had a look that showed that she was in deep thought.

"So…what are you up to in your reality?" AR Piper asked, noticing that she was starting to make the other Cole a little uncomfortable.

"Well, Cole is the guardian to a Hell Gate, and my sisters and I have to help him protect it." Phoebe replied calmly, as though it were a normal, everyday topic of discussion.

AR Piper certainly thought it wasn't, because she was gaping at them, as though they had a third eye.

Phoebe looked up to see her face, and she could barely contain her laughter.

AR Piper looked at Phoebe and gave her a glare. Phoebe's reaction was the complete opposite of what she was aiming for. Instead of stifling her laughter, she fueled it, and Phoebe had to bend over and clutch her stomach because of the pain of laughing so hard. Cole looked at her, and her laughter was contagious, and he began laughing also. Their laughter subsided after a few minutes of blissful happiness.

Cole glanced at this AR version of himself. He seemed almost exactly as Cole, except there were a few lines of exhaustion, and a gleam of sadness shone through his eyes. Cole kept catching him glance at Phoebe constantly, and he could imagine what this alternate version was thinking.

"Hey, Phoebe, do you mind if I go and talk to myself for a few minutes?" Cole asked, with a tone of seriousness, though his eyes shone of a joke.

"All right, as long as you don't go do anything drastic that will earn yourself a ticket to a mental institute." Phoebe called back jokingly at his retreating form.

"Ha, ha, very funny Phoebe." Cole responded dryly, though he hid his own smile.

He entered the kitchen to fine the AR Cole grabbing himself a drink.

"Hey do you mind if I join you?" Cole asked AR Cole.

He merely shrugged in return, and Cole walked around him to grab a drink as well. When he straightened, he was amused at his choice of drink. He looked at the choice of his alternate version, and saw they had chosen the same drink. AR Cole looked up at Cole and they smiled.

"I guess we aren't that different after all." Cole stated.

"I guess we aren't." AR Cole said, shifting from foot to foot a little nervously.

"Hey don't be so nervous, I am you after all, or you're me, or something like that." Cole said, waving his hand at the nervousness of his AR version of himself.

"Well sorry. It's just that I'm not used to seeing myself and being jealous." AR Cole said, looking down. He was very proud in any reality, and this one was no different.

"Are you talking about Phoebe and me?" Cole questioned AR Cole. AR Cole simply nodded his confirmation.

"Well, we're only friends, but I'm glad that I have that at least." Cole said, remembering how she used to treat him before the gate when he had returned from the wasteland. 

"What do you mean?" AR Cole asked, noticing the emotions that were running across the face of another him. It seemed very odd, to see your face with emotions that you're not feeling.

"Well, in my reality, I was taken over by the Source. Phoebe and her sisters eventually vanquished me, but I came back to Phoebe because I wouldn't let go of our love. When I had come back, she was afraid of me, and she seemed to have moved on. She probably would've kept acting the same way if it weren't for the gate." Cole explained to, in sense, himself. AR Cole was in total awe of the story.

"Now, I have a question for you. How did you become a Whitelighter?" Cole asked, remembering that this Cole had the ability to orb.

"Well, as you know, the Phoebe here has become the Source. I had died previously, trying to save her from the Source. Leo then convinced the Elders to bring me back as a Whitelighter with my demonic powers intact. So I'm not really a Whitelighter, but I do have the capabilities of a Whitelighter." AR Cole explained.

"Ah, I see." Cole said, going over the facts in his mind. As he looked over what had happened, something was off from what had happened in his own reality. Suddenly something occurred to him.

"Wait, why did the Seer decide to put the Source in Phoebe?" Cole asked himself out loud. He didn't expect the AR Cole to answer.

"Well, I think she had an advisor, though we don't know who. When she had come to the manor, she had another demon with her. He was acting like a servant demon, but he seemed different, colder, and pure evil." AR Cole explained.

Cole's eyes widened in the realization. He understood what they had to do. Before he went to see Phoebe he turned back to AR Cole.  
"I have a plan, but if you don't agree, I won't propose it. The demon you saw was most likely Scier. My idea would be to vanquish Phoebe. Do you think you'll be able to handle that?" Cole asked his alternate version of himself. He saw a flash of pain dance through his eyes, then the sight of commitment and sad determination took over.

"I had been brought back to do what you proposed. I may not like it, but I don't want Phoebe to continue living the hell she's in. I'd rather let her go into the afterlife and let her rest instead of hell on earth with the Source." AR Cole stated, keeping his emotions in check.

Cole nodded, seeing the determination to free his soul mate. Cole than walked to the living room, where he met a surprising, and shocking scene.


	10. Rest and RelaWhat?

Chapter 9- Rest and Rela...What?!  
  
Cole walked into the living room to find AR Piper and AR Leo knocked unconscious on the floor. He looked around for Phoebe, and instead of finding just one, he found two. They were facing each other, ready to fight each other if necessary. They were circling each other, eyeing the other carefully. One of the Phoebe's looked up, and Cole knew it was the Source. Her eyes were cold, and she was irradiating with a feeling of cold and unfeeling. His Phoebe always had a sense of warmth and friendliness.   
  
"Cole, my love," AR Phoebe breathed out. As she did, Cole could feel a shiver traveling down his spine, and his stomach churned. AR Cole was following behind him, and when Cole stopped suddenly, he wondered why. He stepped from behind Cole and saw his Phoebe and the other Phoebe looking at the two of them.  
  
"What is going on?" the Source asked, confused, looking from one Cole to the other. Phoebe who was trapped inside her own body was just as confused as the Source. Though the prospect of two Coles had increased her hope of release greatly. She was hoping someone would be able to free her from her prison. She was so caught up in the discovery of two Coles that she had forgotten about the other Phoebe. It seemed that the Source had forgotten as well. Suddenly, the Source found himself knocked to the ground and unable to get back up.  
  
"Would somebody care to help me out here?" Phoebe asked, restraining the Source/AR Phoebe. At the moment, Phoebe had him pinned, and now was the time that would decide the fate of this particular reality.  
  
"Phoebe, step away," Cole warned, getting ready to do a force field. Phoebe saw what he was doing and quickly got out of the way. When the Source got up, Cole placed a force field around him, and he was unable to get out. The Source had thought it was a regular weak force field, so he tried to get out.  
  
"Arrrrgh!" he cried in AR Phoebe's body. He was thrown back from the energy of magic that had cancelled out.  
  
"Huh. I guess these force fields are really powerful," Cole commented, looking at the field, and the captive inside of it. His heart filled with pain, as he saw his precious Phoebe, trapped within herself. Pure evil controlling her every action and she had no control at all.   
  
"So, what are we going to do?" Phoebe asked, stepping next to Cole.  
  
"First, we better check on how Piper and Leo are," Cole said, his eyes transfixed on the Source/Phoebe.  
  
"Right," Phoebe replied, then turning to her AR sister and brother-in-law. AR Cole followed close behind, while glancing at Phoebe with the Source. They woke AR Piper and Leo up, and helped them to their feet.  
  
"Oww!" Piper complained, holding her head. She glanced from Cole to the Source/Phoebe.  
  
"Why isn't she trying to get away?" AR Piper asked, not being able to see the force field containing her.  
  
"Well, Cole's put up a force field, and she won't be able to escape, even if she tried to flame out," Phoebe answered. Just as she said that, the Source tried to flame out, but was knocked back onto her butt again.  
  
"What the hell is this thing made of?!" the Source cried out in frustration to no body in particular.  
  
"It's made of a magic that even you can't break," Cole asked calmly, hiding his turbulent feelings behind a stoic face. He could barely handle watching his Phoebe in such pain from such evil.  
  
"Where'd you learn to do that?" AR Cole asked, looking over the powerful magic that was able to contain the Source himself.  
  
"Well, it came with our guardian training," Phoebe answered him coolly, knowing that she could do the same thing.  
  
"Oh, Cole, if you begin to become tired, just tell me, and I can take over," Phoebe said, knowing he will eventually tire out. Cole turned to her, and flashed her a smile, assuring her that he would tell her and not over do it.  
  
"Wow. Where can I get some of that training?" AR Piper asked sarcastically. She was actually pretty amazed that her sister and Cole were powerful enough to contain the Source of All Evil without the power of three.  
  
"Well, you could always ask our daughter, but she's not allowed to cross realities," Phoebe said, with a glint of mischief present in her eyes. AR Piper and Cole were shocked at what they had just heard.  
  
"WHAT?!" AR Cole and Piper yelled in shock.  
  
"What? Oh, oops..." Phoebe said, her hand flying to her mouth, realizing what she had revealed to them. Cole looked at Phoebe questioningly, not understanding why everyone looked so shocked. Phoebe could not believe that he didn't get it. He continued to look at her bewildered.  
  
"Uh...do you mind letting me in the secret?" Cole asked, tired of being stared at.  
  
"Don't you get it? They didn't know we had a daughter, or had a daughter, or...something," Phoebe said exasperated. She didn't quite know how to put their situation with their daughter into words.  
  
The Source and Phoebe were watching what was happening unfold. Phoebe inside was shocked to hear that she had a daughter. The Source however was greedily listening trying to find a weak point that he could take advantage of so he could get away.  
  
Cole's reaction to the revelation was completely different from what Phoebe had imagined. His was not of concern or worry, it was of amusement. She watched his eyes as they took a contemplative state, going over things. Through their link, she could feel the tiniest hint of worry from him, but it was mostly amusement.  
  
"Cole! This isn't funny!" Phoebe exclaimed, hitting him in the arm. That just caused him to burst out laughing. It was odd though. They were laughing over such a trivial thing, when they had the Source of All Evil trapped in a force field.  
  
"Well, you've got a point, but it's just hilarious, this situation we're in," Cole commented, looking around the room, at himself, Phoebe, Piper, and then Phoebe/Source, who was glaring at him still on the floor. He got this feeling that something was missing, and he suddenly realized it.  
  
"Hold on, where's Paige? I thought you'd have called her by now," Cole asked, wondering where the youngest of the sisters was.  
  
This question caused AR Piper and Leo to squirm.  
  
"Um...she...she's dead, Cole," Piper answered, sadness coming from her eyes.  
  
Cole and Phoebe stood in shock. Phoebe knew they were only in an alternate reality, but still, hearing those words again hurt her deeply.  
  
"H...How?" Phoebe managed to make out.  
  
Piper couldn't bring herself to say it. She merely looked at the Source in Phoebe's body. The Source in turn grinned maliciously, as Cole and Phoebe looked at him.  
  
"Yes, I did it. She was in my way of you Cole, so I killed her," the Source said, answering the unspoken question.   
  
"You bastard!" Phoebe yelled, intending to break through Cole's force field and pounding him to a pulp. Cole however held her back, and she couldn't stand standing anymore. So she collapsed in his arms, holding onto him. The news of Paige dying in this reality had gotten to her more than she thought, and she passed out, not wanting to feel the pain anymore.  
  
Cole noticed she had passed out in his arms, when she felt her go limp. He carried her to the couch and laid her down gently. He hated not being able to help and comfort her when the pain was too much for her. To his complete annoyance, and rage, the Source still trapped, laughed. He laughed, and in this reality's Phoebe!  
  
"I guess I'm still able to get to the infamous Charmed Ones, even when I'm held captured," he stated, clearly happy with what he had done to Phoebe.  
  
"You sick, evil son of a..." Cole began, going to her, but was stopped by AR Cole.  
  
He looked to him, and saw that he should stop. AR Cole looked at Phoebe who was still imprisoned by the Source. His heart wrenched to see his beautiful Phoebe like this. Tainted, hurt, and locked away by this evil. If he had to kill her to set her free, he would do that. Something happened in her eyes, and AR Cole looked at her curiously, wondering what had happened.  
  
"Cole, please! Kill me!" AR Phoebe gasped, showing that she was mentally struggling with the Source. Cole and AR Cole took an intake of breath, as the Source took over again. It was very apparent because her eyes took a cold look that would freeze your blood could.  
  
"So, what are you going to do, eh, Belthazor?" the Source sneered with Phoebe's beautiful lips. He then broke into an evil laugh. He was laughing at both of the Coles. He was laughing at the pain he saw in their eyes, as he made Phoebe do what he wanted.  
  
"Son of a bitch," AR Cole snarled. He walked away from the appalling being controlling his beloved.   
  
"What are we going to do? I don't know if I can kill her. Not with her just sitting there," AR Piper said, choking back tears. Seeing her sister fighting, struggling against the Source had given her an ounce of hope. That hope though was quickly ripped away when she heard her say to kill her.   
  
"We have to vanquish her," AR Cole stated, as cold as stone. He kept his face frozen like a mask otherwise he would break down.  
  
"Cole..." Leo said sympathetically.  
  
"No Leo. If I have to kill her so she won't keep living this hell, I'll do it," he said determinedly.  
  
"There's another way," Cole whispered quietly. Everyone swiveled around to look at him.  
  
"What?" AR Cole asked his counterpart anxiously.  
  
"You could always transport him to another being, another vessel," Cole suggested. It was very risky, and he didn't know if this Phoebe would survive the process.  
  
"That would mean that you would have to..." AR Cole began, realizing why Cole hadn't mentioned it before.  
  
"What? What? C'mon, what's wrong with the plan?" Piper asked, seeing a way to free her sister.  
  
"You see, she must come close to death in order to do this, and I don't know if Leo will be able to heal her because so much evil had inhabited her body," Cole answered, knowing it was hard for his AR self to put his Phoebe in immediate danger. 'But isn't she already in danger?' he asked himself.  
  
Cole looked to AR Cole and saw him make a decision, and knew he'd made up his mind  
  
"Let's do it." 


	11. Author's Note

Author's Note:  
  
Hey you guys, I'm soooooooooooooooooooo sorry that I haven't updated. First of all, I'd just moved to a new place, so I've been a bit busy to update. Second, school's starting and my schedule's hectic, but I'll try to keep writing. Third, I know I'm evil by just letting it hang like that, I'll upload the next chapter soon, I promise, since I've figured out how to work this new computer. So, basically, that's about it, and keep reviewing. Maybe I'll get some new ideas, and write faster. ;-)   
  
-ColeandPhoebe4evr 


	12. The Transference

Chapter-10 The Transference  
  
The manor was silent as the two Coles, Phoebe, and AR Piper and Leo tried to come up with a way to free Phoebe. They'd all agreed on separating her from the Source, no matter the risk. Now the only problem was how they were actually going to do it.  
  
AR Cole visited Phoebe who was trapped by the Source to make sure she was all right, and that he was still contained. No one had any luck on finding a way to destroy him without certain death for Phoebe. Cole and Phoebe had switched places, because Cole was starting to tire from keeping the force field up. This is how he found them. One Phoebe, sitting comfortably, watching the other Phoebe warily, sitting on the floor. If the situation weren't so desperate, he would have laughed. Any humor that had made its way to the surface in AR Cole's mind quickly dissipated when he saw the cold look in his Phoebe's eyes. It froze his blood cold, even though he was already dead. To see such coldness in Phoebe's eyes tore at his heart like a ravenous bird. It hurt him more than the Source could ever do, by just simply looking at him with Phoebe's eyes. 'Dammit. If he weren't in her body, I'd definitely wipe that smirk off his face' AR Cole thought furiously. The other Phoebe looked up at him, as he sat down next to her, watching the Source calmly sit in front of them, knowing that he wouldn't hurt him as long as he was in Phoebe's body.  
  
"Are you okay?" Phoebe asked. She had startled him and he looked up at her in surprise.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you. It's just that this is all very weird to me, and this must be really hard on you," Phoebe apologized.  
  
"Yeah. It's really hard to accept the fact there's one of you in there," Cole said, pointing at the Phoebe in the field, "and one out here talking to me," he said, indicating her.  
  
Phoebe laughed at this. AR Cole looked up at her to see what was so funny. She waved her hand at him, trying to apologize to him while getting her quiet laughter under control.  
  
"I'm sorry, it's just that you make this sound like I do this all the time," Phoebe said, being able to get her laughter under control.  
  
"Well don't you?" Cole asked. From the way they were reacting, it seemed as though they went through this everyday.  
  
"Oh God no! If we did, I'd be insane from going from reality to reality. You see, this is the first time I've done this, along with Cole," Phoebe explained to AR Cole. Up until now, neither of the two had really explained to any of them why they were here. They were just told to trust them from up 'there'.   
  
"Ah I see. So I suppose that you're feeling just as lost and helpless as I am?" AR Cole asked, looking into this Phoebe's eyes. He could see that she was different from the Phoebe that he knew. This one had seen a lot and survived a lot. She seems to have grown more, and gained more experience.  
  
"You're from the future aren't you?" AR Cole asked out of the blue. She seemed shocked at first, and then relaxed. She formed a smile, as she looked him over. She simply nodded.  
  
"Even though I don't have a connection with you, I seem to be able to read your emotions easily," Phoebe commented, being able to see what he feels through his eyes.  
  
Cole smiled at him, and Phoebe felt herself falling in love with him all over again. This Cole was before all the craziness, before the Source. She remembered being in his arms, and how safe she felt with him. She realized something. She missed that.  
  
AR Cole glanced at his Phoebe, who was still trapped by the Source. How he wished he could just rip him out, and save his Phoebe. The Source looked up at him, and gave him a cold smile. It sent shivers down his spine, just seeing his sweet Phoebe like this. If he weren't a Whitelighter now, he'd give himself up for the vessel. Than an idea struck him.  
  
"Phoebe, is your Cole still a demon?" AR Cole asked the Phoebe who was keeping up the shield.  
  
"Um, technically no. He's really just a human with demonic powers. A lot of demonic powers," Phoebe answered, remembering how many powers he actually had. Especially now that he had the gate.  
  
"Well, I was thinking that maybe your Cole can become the vessel, and then we'd be able to get the Source out of him more easily. But since he's a human...Well, my idea's been shot to hell," AR Cole said, going back into a thinking state.  
  
"So, anyone come up with any ideas?" Cole asked, coming into the living room. AR Leo and Piper followed behind him.  
  
"Nope, not at the moment. Cole here thought of using you as the vessel, but since you're human..." Phoebe explained, not having to finish.  
  
"Yeah, this is one of those times where being a demon would actually come in handy," Cole said, agreeing with his counter part.  
  
"Why don't we just summon a demon?" AR Piper asked. It seemed that they needed another demon to become the Source, so why not just summon one?  
  
"Well, that's because they have to be as powerful as Phoebe here, or the old Source. And if I'm right, I think you had all ready vanquished all of them," Cole explained. AR Piper bent her head down, in dismay. Suddenly, Cole's head snapped up in realization.  
  
"Wait, did you by any chance kill a demon named Kurzon here?" Cole asked.  
  
"Kurzon? Who's Kurzon?" AR Leo asked.  
  
"Kurzon? You mean that demon we vanquished who was like the Source?" Phoebe asked, remembering him well.  
  
"Yeah, I mean he wants to be the Source, and once he is, we can vanquish him," Cole suggested, hope gleaming through his eyes.  
  
"But what about Phoebe? Will she be hurt from the transfer?" AR Cole asked worriedly.  
  
"Um, there's the problem. She might be seriously hurt because she's human, even though she is a witch. And I don't know if Leo will be able to heal her right away because of the residue of evil inside her," Cole explained, examining their situation.  
  
"Well, I'm willing to take that chance, and I think everyone here is willing to do the same," AR Cole said.  
  
The Source, who'd been listening to everything, had become increasingly angry. His eyes widened as he realized that they were planning on transferring his power into one of his enemies.  
  
"What?! You can't transfer me to Kurzon! I won't allow it!" the Source yelled in rage, standing up.  
  
"Well, from where we are, it doesn't look like you have a choice buddy," Piper said sarcastically, sneering at the Source in her sister's body.  
  
"Where's Kurzon though?" AR Piper asked, suddenly realizing that they had no idea where he was.  
  
"Oh, he's in another dimension, banned by the Source here," Cole answered, pointing at the Source.  
  
"Yes, and you won't be getting anywhere near him," the Source spat.  
  
"There, you're wrong. I'm much more powerful than that is necessary to get Kurzon here. We're holding you here aren't we?" Cole answered smugly, seeing no complications in the plan.  
  
"I'll be right back with Kurzon," Cole said, before blurring to the other reality.  
  
They only had to wait about 10 minutes when Cole returned, dragging a demon in a black leather coat.  
  
"Get off me! How dare you do to this to me! Who are you anyway?!" Kurzon yelled at Cole who was ignoring him. When Cole dropped him, he got up and saw the scene around him. He saw the Source being held by someone who looked exactly like her, a witch, a Whitelighter, and two Belthazars.  
  
On the sight of two Belthazars, the witches and the Source, he tried to escape, but was knocked back by some kind of force field.   
  
"What the Hell?" Kurzon said in confusion. When he looked at the group to see who had done this, he saw that one of the two Belthazars had his hand raised at him, and he saw that he was the one responsible for the field.  
  
"What do you want?" Kurzon asked, a little afraid.  
  
"Well, the question is, what do you want?" Cole said, keeping the field up, while calmly talking to him. Kurzon looked at him curiously, intrigued by the clear offer by Belthazar.  
  
"What are you talking about Belthazar?" Kurzon asked cautiously.  
  
"Ah, ah, ah," Cole answered, wagging his finger at Kurzon. "Belthazar is dead. I'm called Cole now. And to answer your question, you want to become the Source, am I correct in my assumption?" Cole asked, putting on his lawyer face. He is one of the most successful lawyers at Jack, McCarter, and Kline.  
  
"Yes, I do. Am I supposed to believe that you, a traitor, is going to make me the Source?" Kurzon asked suspiciously, looking from Cole to the Source trapped by the other witch.  
  
"Yes," Cole answered simply. He added, "besides, if I wanted to vanquish you, I could've done so in that shack where you were. If you may recall, you were nearly begging me to spare you."  
  
Kurzon considered this for a few minutes. His greed for the Source's power soon overcome any caution.  
  
"Fine, I'll take you up on your offer," Kurzon said, accepting it.  
  
"Excellent! Now we need you to get next to the Source if you shall," Cole said, directing Kurzon. Kurzon complied, though looking at the witches and the two Coles cautiously.  
  
Cole than stepped to the Source/Phoebe, and grabbed her roughly by the arm, easily breaking through Phoebe's shield. He took hold of Kurzons arm, and chanted a bit in an ancient and dead language, calling the Source through Cole, into Kurzon. Cole could feel the evil passing through Phoebe into him, then into Kurzon. Kurzon rose a few feet into the air, and his head rolled backward, and his mouth opened up in a silent scream. On the other side of Cole, Phoebe collapsed, with many cuts, bruises, and open wounds all over her body, left by the Source. 'I suppose the Source's parting gift' Cole thought bitterly, knowing that this would happen.  
  
Leo rushed to Phoebe's side, trying to heal her. As he held his hands over her, the warm glow just wouldn't appear.  
  
"Leo, why isn't it working?" AR Piper asked desperately, looking at her baby sister in fear and despair.  
  
"I think what Cole feared is coming true. There is still some evil in her that is preventing me to heal her," Leo answered, his own despair leaking through his voice.  
  
Cole's anger and rage at being unable to help her grew so much. He turned to Kurzon who had settled onto the floor again was looking very smug.  
  
"Well, we did that. I didn't promise you that I wouldn't kill you afterwards," Cole said through gritted teeth. He threw a rather large energy ball at Kurzon before he could do as so much as blink. He turned back to Phoebe, and his eyes softened considerably.  
  
"Leo, please..." Piper begged. She couldn't bear to lose another sister. Not after Prue and Paige.   
  
"Kurzon is dead, and now only time will tell what will happen to Phoebe," Cole said hiding all emotion from everybody. That is, of course, except for Phoebe. She glanced at him, her eyes filled with tears, and worry. Cole looked at AR Phoebe, and a single tear fell down his face. 'How can life be so cruel to us?' he thought to himself. He watched as AR Cole gathered AR Phoebe into his arms, and weep silently into her hair. Cole looked on in horror, hoping to anyone who could hear him that her light will shine again, and erase all the evil that was within her. 


	13. Now Serving, the Second Reality

Chapter 11- Now Serving...The Second Reality  
  
Cole continued to look on at the scene. A scorch mark where he had vanquished Kurzon after he had become the Source. AR Cole was rocking AR Phoebe in his arms, hoping that Leo would be able to heal her before her heart stopped, or else Leo wouldn't be able to heal her. Cole suddenly got an idea. He kneeled down next to AR Phoebe and looked up at his counter part. Both of their blue eyes made contact. His were clear blue, and the tears that continued to fall blurred AR Cole's.  
  
"Trust me. I love her just as much as you do," Cole whispered to him, to reassure him. AR Cole saw that he did, and moved away. Not to far away, but just far enough so that the other him can get next to his beloved. Phoebe on the other hand, watched from a distance, unable to see herself like this and Cole in so much pain.  
  
Cole looked at her face, looking at the scratches and open wounds scarred her beauty. He bent down and gave her a gentle kiss. He used some of his powers to pull the rest of the evil from her body to him. As he did, he could feel the Source's residual evil flowing into him. It felt vaguely like when the Source took him over, only this time, he's a lot stronger and can fight him off. He grew rigid for a few moments as he took the evil and eradicated it inside of himself.   
  
When Cole went rigid, Phoebe felt the evil through their link, and she became alarmed. She was afraid that he would turn evil, but she relaxed when she saw that Cole destroyed it inside of himself. She looked to her counterpart, and saw that Leo had not moved to heal her, thinking that she was still evil.  
  
"Leo, I think you can heal her now," Phoebe informed AR Leo calmly, as Cole looked up at her and smiled. She smiled back at him as Leo bent down and healed her.  
  
AR Phoebe woke up slowly, and when she opened her eyes, she saw Piper, Leo, Cole and...another Cole and herself?  
  
"Why'd it take so long for you to heal her Leo?" Piper asked anxiously as she helped her sister sit up.  
  
"Well, she nearly died, and there was a trace of evil left, but not enough to stop me from healing her," Leo answered her, relieved that he was able to save her.  
  
"Okay, I know that I don't deserve to know this, but, who are they?" AR Phoebe asked as she looked at Cole and Phoebe.  
  
"Well, they're Cole and you, just from another reality," AR Cole said, smiling lovingly at AR Phoebe.  
  
"Huh?" AR Phoebe asked, as she looked Cole and Phoebe over.  
  
"Yeah, so I guess this reality is okay, right?" Phoebe asked, turning to Cole.  
  
"Yeah, I guess so. As much as we can make it. We can't exactly bring back Paige, and turn this Cole here into a demon again...actually," Cole trailed off, wondering whether or not he should say what he had in mind.  
  
"What?" AR Leo asked, wondering what Cole was thinking.  
  
"Well, Cole here can become a human again, with demonic powers of course," Cole said, looking at AR Cole.  
  
"How?" AR Phoebe asked, looking from AR Cole to Cole.  
  
"Well, it's entirely your decision, but you can always clip your wings," Cole told AR Cole.  
  
"Of course, I completely forgot about that," AR Cole said, his eyes widening slightly in remembrance.  
  
"Do you want to? I mean, you can still be a Whitelighter, and still be with Phoebe," Phoebe said, looking from AR Cole to AR Phoebe.  
  
"We'll think about it," AR Cole said, looking down at Phoebe. He was so happy to have his angel back. She looked up at him and they stared into each other's eyes lovingly.  
  
"Phoebe, we better get going, Scier isn't going to be wasting time screwing around our other lives," Cole whispered to Phoebe, who was staring at the reunited couple, her eyes filled with longing and regret.  
  
"What? Oh, of course, let's go," Phoebe said, snapping out of her reverie.  
  
"You two are going now?" AR Piper asked, a little sad.  
  
"Yes, we need to go and get the demon who did this to you before he can tamper with any other realities," Cole said, looking at her.  
  
"All right. You two be safe, and try to stay together. You two belong to each other," AR Piper said, giving each one a hug.  
  
"Okay, and the same to you, and good luck on that baby," Phoebe said, hugging her back, with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Piper laughed, at the obvious hint.  
  
"Thanks, and good luck," Piper said giving them one final good-bye.  
  
Cole turned away from them, as he concentrated on opening a rip back to their own reality. As one opened, the others looked on in awe.  
  
"Okay, here's my ride. Bye," Phoebe said, waving at them before she held Cole's hand and jumped back into that rip. There was the moment again where she felt that she was being ripped apart from the inside out, but she was prepared for it this time, and she didn't mind it as much.  
  
When she came out of the rip, Paige, Piper, Leo and Kara greeted her.  
  
"Cole! Phoebe!" Kara exclaimed as she leapt onto both of her parents and hugged them.  
  
"Kara! It's nice to see you too, but um...I...can't...breathe!" Cole gasped out. Kara had landed on his chest forcing his breath out and was crushing him underneath.  
  
"Oh! Sorry dad," Kara apologized, getting off of him. When he sat up, she pounced on him again and hugged him around the neck. Cole returned the hug, and was so happy to have her in his arms again. Phoebe looked at the two of them, and smiled.  
  
"So, did you get our message?" Cole asked, pulling her at arms length so he could look into her eyes.  
  
"Yes I did, and unfortunately, I can't cross over. It's against the rules," Kara said, her eyes darting to the ground.  
  
"Oh, it's all right, we were able to fix the mess that Scier made of the reality," Cole said, lifting her chin up. She smiled at him when she heard the news.  
  
"So...what was it like?" Paige asked, stepping up to the family that was still on the floor.  
  
"Well...it was eerie because it looked like us, but it wasn't...it was really freaky," Phoebe said, unable to put their experience into words.  
  
"Well, unfortunately, you won't be able to share it. You have to travel to the next reality," Kara said, breaking up the conversation.  
  
"What? So soon?" Piper asked, wanting to hear their adventure.  
  
"Yes, unfortunately. Cole could you bend down? I need to give you the temporal coordinates," Kara said, motioning to Cole.  
  
"Oh, of course," Cole said, complying. She did what she had done before, and Cole was again preparing to open another rip. Soon after he finished, the rip opened, and he looked to Phoebe.  
  
"Ready?" Cole asked, his hand reaching out to hers.  
  
"As ready as I'll ever be," Phoebe replied, taking his hand. They walked into the rip that closed as soon as they entered.  
  
"I wonder what will happen in that one," Piper asked out loud. Kara looked at the spot where Cole and Phoebe had just left. 'Good luck' she thought. 


	14. Who's He?

Chapter 12- Who's He?  
  
"So, I guess we find ourselves here again," Cole said, looking around at the penthouse. There were no personal belongings, so he guessed that no one was living here at the moment.  
  
"Yeah. Do you want to go to the manor, or do you want to go to P3?" Phoebe asked, deciding to give Cole the choice.  
  
"Why don't we go to P3? It'll be a little bit less inconspicuous if we were to be found in the club. You may want to make sure they don't recognize you, we might want to find out what's wrong with this one, before we intervene," Cole advised, looking into the distance.  
  
"Yeah, but how?" Phoebe asked, agreeing with him.  
  
"Well, if you wanted to, I could always change your appearance, of course if you wanted to," Cole said, turning to her to search her reaction in her eyes. There he found a quick flash of doubt and suspicion, but she quickly covered it up.  
  
"You can do that?" Phoebe asked, raising her eyebrow up in disbelief.  
  
"Yeah. Do you remember Mike, my clerk when I was the Source? That was really the Seer," Cole said, searching her eyes and the link this time.  
  
"Hmm. Well, as long as you can change me back," Phoebe said, allowing him to do it, a bit reluctantly though.  
  
"Okay, do you want to be a guy, or just stick with being a girl?" Cole asked, stopping as he raised his hand.  
  
"Um...I think I'll stay being a girl thank you," Phoebe said, considering what she should do. If she became a guy and went into the club, then she might be hit on by girls, and girls might hit on Cole.  
  
Cole felt a twinge of jealousy through the link, and he smiled inwardly, but he didn't show it, or else he might have to face the wrath of Phoebe Haliwell.  
  
He waved his hand over her, and she changed into another woman. One that was about the same height as her own body, but she was blonde and was slightly paler. She had green instead of her almond brown eyes, and to tell the truth, looking a bit like Julie, Cole's old demoness assistant, but with a few physical differences.   
  
"Huh, still have a soft spot for that assistant of yours, I see," Phoebe commented, as she looked herself over. Cole smiled at her and recognized his mistake. He quickly recovered with a teasing comment.  
  
"What, jealous?" Cole said, bending over to whisper it into her ear. Phoebe snorted at the comment, but her breath quickened slightly, and Cole felt it.  
  
"No way," Phoebe said, recomposing herself, covering up her lapse in concentration.   
  
As she walked away, Cole couldn't hold in his smile. He knew exactly what he had done to her, and he enjoyed it. He enjoyed the fact that he still had a little power over her, like she had over him.  
  
"Cole, you coming?" Phoebe called back, when he wasn't following immediately.  
  
"Oh, sorry, coming," Cole said, snapping out of his feeling of happiness. In the reality, it was almost nightfall, so it would be a perfect time for him and Phoebe to go to P3. He had no idea what point in time they had gone to, so this would be the perfect time to find out.  
  
When they reached the club, there was all ready a line waiting to get into the club.  
  
"Well, it's safe to say that this is one of those times when the club was doing good," Phoebe whispered to Cole, as they were waiting in line, stepping forward as they got closer to the door.  
  
"Yeah, this place is packed," Cole whispered back, as they stepped ahead again.  
  
After about 10 more minutes of waiting, they were finally able to get in.  
  
"C'mon, help me find myself and my sisters," Phoebe said, scanning the club as they walked down the stairs.  
  
"There they are," Cole said, pointing them out at the bar. He quickly focused on Phoebe who looked as beautiful as ever. He saw Piper behind the counter, and...Prue?  
  
"Phoebe is that who I think that is?" Cole said, nudging her to look at Prue, who was laughing with her sisters.  
  
"Prue..." Phoebe whispered in shock.   
  
"Wow, that's ironic," Phoebe muttered.  
  
"What is?" Cole asked, hearing what she had said.  
  
"Well, I find out Paige is dead in the first reality, and here I find my dead sister alive. Fate and it's twisted sense of irony, eh?" Phoebe said, still gazing at her older sister.  
  
"Uh-huh," Cole said distractedly, a little wary of her. Prue had always distrusted him, and he always felt a little...uncomfortable around her. She would always give him these cold stares that he felt cut into his soul.  
  
"C'mon, let's gradually move along to the bar. We could order a drink or something," Phoebe said, tugging at his shirt. She had pulled him to the dance floor, and they danced a little to look inconspicuous, glancing at the sisters occasionally.  
  
They eventually made their way to the bar, and tried to get the attention of Piper.  
  
"Hello? Can we get some service here?" Phoebe called.  
  
"Oh, sorry, what can I get you?" Piper said, coming over.  
  
"Yes, I'd like a mineral water, and...what'd you like?" Phoebe said, turning to Cole.  
  
"Um...scotch, on the rocks please," Cole ordered.  
  
"Coming right up," Piper said, grabbing for their drinks underneath the counter.  
  
"I couldn't help but wonder, but, why is the place called P3? Is it because of you and your sisters?" Phoebe inquired.  
  
AR Piper looked up alarmed, afraid that the woman and the man were demons. She had named the club after 'the power of 3'.  
  
"You know, Piper, Phoebe and Prue?" Cole said, sensing her worry.  
  
"Oh, yes, that's why I named it P3," Piper said, letting out a breath.  
  
"Oh, what's the year?" Phoebe asked, as AR Piper handed them their drinks.  
  
"Um...it's 1999, why?" AR Piper asked.  
  
"Oh, I forgot, that's all, thank you," Phoebe said, turning away from her. Cole got out some money, and placed it onto the counter. He laid down a nice tip along with it.  
  
"Thanks," Piper said, taking the money.  
  
Cole flashed her a smile and left to follow Phoebe to one of the couches.  
  
"Wow, cute guy. Who's he?" AR Phoebe asked, as her sister made her way back after handling two customers.  
  
"Oh, just a couple from what I saw. Hey, aren't you with Brad?" AR Piper asked her baby sister suspiciously.  
  
"Yeah, but if he expects me to wait for him for so long, then I just might drop him here and now," AR Phoebe said. As soon as she finished her sentence, a man came up behind her and hugged her from behind.  
  
"Sorry I'm late," he whispered into her ear as he kissed her on the cheek.  
  
"Hey Brad," Phoebe greeted.   
  
Unknown to her, Cole was watching them from afar, and Phoebe felt a twinge of jealousy through their link. Cole was so absorbed in watching them, he didn't realize Phoebe had sat down next to him. She quietly raised up to his ear.  
  
"What? Jealous?" Phoebe teased. Paying him back for his crack in the penthouse.  
  
"What? Oh, of course not," Cole said, smiling down at her. He suddenly realized exactly how close they were. Even though Cole had changed her outer appearance, he was able to see her true self. He got lost in those brown eyes that he loved so much, and was about to bend a little lower to kiss her. He was worried that she would become mad and push him away. He searched their link, and instead found longing and love waiting for him. He pulled back, and saw disappointment and sadness in her brown eyes that quickly turned green. He shook his head no, his own sadness shining through.  
  
"I'm sorry Phoebe. It's just that I don't want to hurt what we have right now. You know I still love you, and I always will, it's just that if we do this now, I don't know if I'd be able to go back," Cole apologized.  
  
"Cole?" Phoebe asked Cole tenderly. Cole looked back into her eyes, and saw them brown again. She reached up to stroke his cheek, and he pressed against her hand.  
  
"Thank you Cole. You're probably right anyway. I'm glad that you wanted to hold yourself back. It shows me that you would hold yourself back from me, no matter how much you want me, just so that you wouldn't hurt me," Phoebe said, letting some of her feelings slip through the link and her eyes.  
  
"And thank you Phoebe, for understanding," Cole said, holding her hand that was still on his cheek.  
  
"C'mon, we still need to find out more information about what's wrong with this reality," Phoebe said, reaching for Cole's hands to get him off the couch.   
  
*********************************************  
  
Well, there's the new chappie. Please, please review. I need some ideas, I'm sort of running out. Now just to warn you, I have a few things that are planned out, so I don't know if I can fit them into this story. I repeat, this story. I might be able to fit it into the third one though, 'Seven Gates.' Yes, I know, some of you are thinking, 'you're going into the third one all ready!?' I know, I just need to plan, for some odd reason. I blame it on my muse. I think I got the odd one out of the bunch. ;-) Anyway, review please! 


	15. Step 1, The Problem

Chapter 13- Step 1...The Problem  
  
The three sisters, Dan, and Brad had made their way back to the manor. Cole and Phoebe followed them quietly, making sure they couldn't tell that they were being followed.  
  
"Okay, so far we know that Piper and Dan are together still, so I'm guessing that she hasn't decided to break up with him yet, and go with Leo. Now as for Brad, I don't even know who he is," Phoebe whispered to Cole.  
  
Cole looked at AR Phoebe and then turned to Brad. Cole got this weird feeling when he looked at this Brad character. He seemed out of place for some reason and he didn't like him. This news that Phoebe had never seen him before worried him even more.  
  
"So, you mean to tell me that Dan is okay, but Brad doesn't belong?" Cole asked, turning back to his Phoebe. They hadn't changed her appearance yet. They might change her back when they reveal themselves to this reality's Charmed Ones, but not yet.  
  
"Well, Dan may or may not belong right now because it depends on what point in time it is in the year, because if I recall, this is the year she chooses Leo over Dan. As for Brad, he definitely doesn't belong," Phoebe replied.  
  
"Well then, that means that Scier has something to do with him," Cole said, thinking out loud. If Scier had something to do with Brad, then he might just be a demon.  
  
"What, you don't like Brad? He looks kind of cute," Phoebe commented, sensing some of Cole's malice towards Brad.  
  
"What? Oh, no I don't like Brad. And it's not what you think," Cole added, seeing the amused look in Phoebe's eyes.  
  
"Oh, and what am I thinking?" Phoebe asked, still with that amused look in her eyes.  
  
"That I'm jealous, which I'm not. It's just that I get this really weird feeling from that guy. It's like he's out of place," Cole explained, staring at AR Phoebe and Cole.  
  
Phoebe turned to look at Brad. 'If Cole's right, then this could mean trouble' Phoebe thought.  
  
"I wish that I could feel this feeling of yours," Phoebe whispered.  
  
"Try feeling it through the link," Cole suggested.  
  
"Oh, right, okay, I'll try," Phoebe replied. She searched their link, and there was the feeling separated from all his other feelings, so she could find it more easily. She tapped into it, and didn't like what she felt.  
  
"You're right, I don't like him either. What does this Phoebe see in him anyway?" Phoebe muttered.  
  
Cole chuckled at Phoebe's reaction. He loved it when she pouted and she looked so cute.  
  
Phoebe looked up at him curiously, sensing a few of his emotions that had slipped through. He noticed it, and turned his attention quickly back to AR Phoebe and the rest. He cursed himself silently for letting himself be that careless.  
  
The alternate reality Charmed Ones and company had reached the manor all ready and going inside. Dan seemed to be saying good-bye to Piper, as he kissed her and walked down the steps to go to his house next door. So the three sisters and Brad were the only ones to go into the manor.  
  
"So, how are we going to see them now?" Phoebe asked, seeing that they couldn't observe them anymore.  
  
"Well, do you want me to blur us inside and glimmer to an object?" Cole suggested to Phoebe.  
  
"Sure, why not?" Phoebe replied, stepping closer to Cole, knowing that they needed to be close to each other in order to blur.  
  
Cole took Phoebe's outstretched hand and blurred them inside. He had sensed before that all of them were in the living room, apparently talking, so he blurred them into the kitchen.  
  
"They're all in the living room. I suggest that we sneak up and then I glimmer into something at a distance where they can't see us, but we can hear them," Cole said, making sure that no one was coming.  
  
Phoebe just nodded as she proceeded to follow Cole into the main hallway.  
  
"...To say that you were a soldier in WWI?" Cole heard someone say as they approached. Thankfully, no one had noticed that they were there yet, and he grabbed Phoebe's hand and glimmered them both into a lamp.  
  
"Yup, I was a soldier in WWI," they heard someone reply. They were able to see them now, and saw that Brad was the one who had answered, of course.  
  
'Wait, if he was in WWI, then that means, oh God, he's a Whitelighter!' Phoebe thought astonished. Cole had the ability of talking to her with his mind, so when he heard her say that he's a Whitelighter, he was just as shocked. If he had had a mouth at the moment, it would be hanging open in surprise.  
  
You mean to tell me that he's a Whitelighter? Cole asked telepathically. He felt the surprise and alarm through their link, and smiled inwardly.  
  
I can talk to you telepathically. I can hear your thoughts to a small degree, so just think it, to respond Cole told Phoebe.  
  
Is this another of your powers you picked up in the wasteland? Phoebe thought to Cole. He could hear a bit of mock annoyance in her voice. She was actually surprised and impressed.  
  
Yea, I just didn't really have any use for it until now, so I kind of forgot that I had this Cole informed her.  
  
Ah, I see Phoebe replied.   
  
This is really weird Phoebe commented, referring to their physical state.  
  
Yea, but hey at least we can eaves drop on them pretty easily now Cole answered.  
  
True, now let's get back to listening Phoebe said, reminding him why they're there.   
  
Cole silently agreed with her, and turned his attention to the group in the living room.  
  
"So, do you by any chance know another Whitelighter by the name of Leo?" AR Phoebe asked. She got a look of warning from AR Piper across from her, and she gave a 'what?' look.  
  
"Leo? You mean Leo Wyatt? Yea, I do know him, why?" Brad answered, turning from AR Piper to AR Phoebe.  
  
"Well, it's just that he was our Whitelighter for a time, but he left, then you came," AR Prue answered, seeing that her sisters were to caught up in their glare battle to answer his question. Brad looked at the two sisters who were 'doing battle' and grinned in amusement.  
  
So that's what happened to Leo Phoebe thought to Cole.  
  
I think Leo should be here all ready, and for some reason, he isn't Cole said, thinking of what was going on.  
  
Hmm, maybe, I don't know. Jeez, we should really have a calendar around here! Then I might be able to tell you what should be happening right now! Phoebe thought, a little irritated. Phoebe could hear Cole chuckling in her mind.  
  
Okay, then you could always make that change later. For now, let's just listen, Cole thought to Phoebe, amused.  
  
Fine, all right all ready, I'm listening, Phoebe thought, turning back to the group.  
  
They could see from their position that Prue leaned over to Piper and whisper something in her ear. Cole could hear what they were saying with his enhanced hearing, but Phoebe couldn't really hear, so Cole let himself be a link. He let Phoebe hear what they were saying through his own mind and was happy he could do something for her.  
  
"Doesn't this remind you of something?" Prue asked, glancing at Brad and Phoebe who were sitting across them, too deep in their own conversation to pay any attention to what Prue and Piper were talking about.  
  
"What are you talking about Prue?" Piper asked, trying to fake ignorance. Though it was clearly written on her face that she knew exactly what her sister was talking about. And Prue let Piper know this.  
  
"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Piper," Prue said, looking at her younger sister accusingly.  
  
"Phoebe is in the same kind of relationship with Brad that you Leo could be," Prue said.  
  
"Prue, I'm with Dan, and I'm happy with him. I love him..."  
  
"But not as much as you love Leo," Prue interjected, cutting Piper off. Prue was well aware that Piper thought about Leo often, and she just wouldn't be honest with herself.  
  
"Prue, I haven't seen Leo since he healed me. It's a good thing that he wasn't caught, and I'm happy. Yes, I do love him, but I'm with Dan now. If he had come to me before, than maybe I might have gone to him, but, he didn't," Piper said, trying to get Prue off of the subject.  
  
Cole could hear Phoebe mentally gasp in realization.  
  
What? Cole asked mentally.  
  
I know how this whole thing with Piper and Leo thing got screwed up Phoebe said.  
  
Do you mind telling me, 'cause if you remember, I wasn't part of your lives at the moment Cole said, a little lost.  
  
Okay, once, Piper was infected with this disease that no one could heal. Leo was forbidden to help, and magic didn't help. When we thought she had died, she suddenly came back to life, and she was perfectly fine. Later she told us that Leo had come to her in between life and death and healed her. He had been caught, and the Elders cut his wings for a time. For about three weeks I think. During that time, Piper fell even more in love with Leo and eventually left Dan for him, Phoebe explained.  
  
Cole had stayed silent during the whole explanation, trying to find out what went wrong in this reality.  
  
So... Cole finally said, obviously not getting it.  
  
So...if Leo hadn't been caught and his wings clipped, Piper wouldn't have gotten those three weeks to fall in love with him even more. So she wouldn't have left Dan, and Leo wouldn't be here! Phoebe said, a little frustrated that Cole couldn't get a simple matter of the heart like that.  
  
Oh, Cole replied, a little embarrassed.   
  
Yeah, oh Phoebe said.  
  
"Oh, sorry Phoebe, but I hear the Elders calling," Brad said suddenly, standing up.  
  
"Oh, that's okay, sure whatever. I guess I'll see you when you come back, bye," AR Phoebe said, raising up a little to kiss him lightly on the lips. As soon as they separated, Brad orbed out to the Elders at least that's where the Charmed Ones thought he was going.   
  
In a cave in the underworld...  
  
"Hello?" Brad called out a little nervously. He wanted to have Phoebe, but he never dreamed of actually having her in another dimension due to the work of a demon.  
  
"Is everything going the way you want it?" a voice said suddenly from behind him.  
  
Brad spun around, to face the darkness that covered one end of the cave. The voice had come from the deep shadows that Brad couldn't look past.   
  
"Yes, it is," Brad said, a little bit of his nervousness leaking into his voice. He hated talking to this demon. His voice was so full of malice and hatred. It was as cold as a barren winter's breeze, and it cut right down to your bones.  
  
"Good, so that means that you have Phoebe, and Dan is with Piper?" the voice continued.  
  
"Y-yes, it is like th..." Brad stuttered but was cut off.  
  
"Good. Now, I will be leaving soon, so don't bother to try and contact me. It is up to you to keep the witch that you so desire. I bid you farewell," the voice said.  
  
"Wait. I don't even know your name or face. I would like to thank the demon that has helped me by his name," Brad called out, reaching a hand out to the darkness.   
  
Brad heard a sigh. It sounded to his ears of one who was exasperated or bothered by a little child. Brad couldn't really make it out clearly because the air down here was different from that of the earth. It was thick and sound traveled through it sluggishly as though it was moving through water.  
  
"Fine, if you must know," the voice drawled. Suddenly, Brad felt someone grab his arm and clutch it firmly. Blood red eyes appeared from the shadows followed by a seemingly human face that was actually quite handsome. Though the iciness in his voice and look in his eyes betrayed him.   
  
"The name's Scier. Don't forget it," Scier stated with a less emotion that Brad didn't think possible. He had come so close to Scier's face, he could feel his cold breath, and see the deep red in his eyes. It completely terrified him right down to his soul.  
  
Scier was then quickly swallowed back into the shadows he had come out of. Brad let out a breath he didn't realize he had held. He now regretted wanting to see the face of this demon.  
  
"Th-thank y-you Scier," Brad said, his nervousness completely showing. He clumsily bowed, and a shiver was sent down his spine when he heard Scier chuckle. It seemed that Scier found his fear and nervousness amusing.  
  
"Well, it's not like I care, but your welcome," Scier replied icily. Brad heard a ripping sound somewhere and it seemed as though the temperature had increased to a normal level. Well, at least as normal as it would be in the underworld.  
  
"Scier?" Brad questioned cautiously. There was no reply, showing that Scier had gone. Brad orbed back up, leaving the cave empty once again.  
  
Back at the manor...  
  
The AR Charmed Ones had gone back to their rooms, feeling tired. When Cole and Phoebe were sure that they were all asleep, Cole glimmered back into his own body, and Phoebe's original body.  
  
"Hey, I see that I'm back to my old self again," Phoebe said, grinning up at Cole.  
  
"Yeah, well I was getting tired of looking at that other body," Cole replied, recognizing their old dance of banter.  
  
"Really? I thought you liked that body," Phoebe said, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Well, it's not as good as yours..." Cole trailed off, suddenly realizing what he'd just said. He blushed knowing that he'd accidentally crossed that invisible line.  
  
Phoebe could feel that Cole hadn't realized what he'd said until he did, and she felt slightly guilty. She knew that once she started that particular conversation, it would end somewhat like this. She made it easier for Cole and changed the subject.  
  
"Um...we might want to find Leo. We might be able to fix this if we find him," Phoebe said, turning away from him slightly to avoid his gaze.  
  
"Oh, yeah sure," Cole said uncomfortably.  
  
Phoebe turned back to Cole, knowing that they needed to blur to find Leo. When she looked up into his eyes, she saw his pain and immediately felt a wave of fresh guilt wash over her. She took his hand, knowing that he was a little hesitant.   
  
Seeing that she was the one who took his hand made him feel a little better. She showed him that she excused that little slip up, and didn't blame him for him. Cole then smiled down at her, and sensed if he could find Leo. He'd been around the Whitelighter long enough to be able to recognize him. He found him in France surprisingly. On his revelation, Cole grinned and Phoebe gave Cole a curious look. Cole then frowned slightly, wondering what her reaction would be if he were to blur them to him. She might accidentally think that he meant to find Leo in France. 'Oh, what the Hell, just tell her Leo's in France!' Cole chastised himself.  
  
"Um...Phoebe, Leo's in France," Cole said hesitantly. Cole held his breath, preparing for Phoebe's reaction no matter what it was. He was surprised when she smiled at him.  
  
"Okay, so then let's go!" Phoebe said, sounding like a schoolgirl about to go on a field trip.  
  
Cole looked shocked for a moment, clearly expecting a different reaction. Phoebe smiled to herself, knowing that Cole was worried. This was the only way that she could reassure him without going outright and saying so. His surprised look turned into a soft smile and he blurred them to France. 


	16. Steps To The Solution

Chapter-14 Steps To The Solution  
  
When Cole and Phoebe emerged from the blur, Phoebe gasped. It was sunset at Paris, France, and it looked wonderful from where they were.  
  
"Cole! You said France, not Paris, France!" Phoebe said, her astonishment still present in her voice. She was turning left and right to figure out just exactly where she was, and it smacked her right in the face, by the Eiffel Tower against the sunset.  
  
"Well, I wasn't exactly sure either, I just knew that it was somewhere in France," Cole said, smirking a little.  
  
"Humph," Phoebe grumbled, but she turned to the breathtaking view that was in front of her. The last time she was in France, she remembered it being just as beautiful as it was now. The last time...  
  
Phoebe's thoughts trailed to the last time she was here with Cole. They had just defeated Yen Lo and then Cole had surprised her with a trip to the south of France. It was a very...pleasant memory of her and Cole.  
  
Cole watched Phoebe's face in amusement as he saw bits of what she was thinking. Phoebe was lost in the memory of them, and she was a little careless with her emotions that went through the link. Phoebe turned to him, and was both shocked and angry that he had seen at least of glimpse of what she was thinking about. She blushed and turned away from him. Cole chuckled, and looked around. Paris was always beautiful, and he loved coming here, especially if it was with Phoebe.  
  
"Well, I really like the view, but we have a Whitelighter to track," Phoebe stated tersely, turning her gaze from the sunset. Her comment snapped Cole from his thoughts, and agreed silently with her.  
  
"So, how do you plan on finding him?" Cole asked. Phoebe thought for a moment, not quite sure how to at the moment.  
  
"Well, you said that he was here, in Paris, France, right?" Phoebe asked, looking up at Cole. Cole nodded at her.  
  
"Well, then...Leo!" Phoebe suddenly yelled.  
  
"What are you doing?!" Cole exclaimed in alarm when he saw a few passer-bys looked in their direction.  
  
"What? I was just calling Leo...oh," Phoebe said, when she looked around. She had completely forgotten that there were other people besides Cole and herself.  
  
"I thought since Leo wasn't your Whitelighter here, he couldn't hear you," Cole stated, still a little agitated due to her slip up.  
  
"Well, if he's near, then he could hear us. That's what happened before when Piper had gotten sick," Phoebe informed Cole.  
  
"Ah, I see," Cole said, nodding his head.  
  
"So, what may I ask are you doing here? And who's this?" someone said behind them. Phoebe and Cole swiveled around, to find the source of the voice. They found Leo, standing behind them, his arms crossed over his chest, waiting for an explanation from Phoebe.  
  
"Oh, hey Leo, I was wondering when you'd show up," Phoebe said, seeing him.  
  
"It's nice to see you too, but what, may I ask again, are you doing here, and who is this guy?" Leo asked, jerking his head toward Cole.  
  
"Well, this is Cole, Cole, past AR Leo, AR Leo, Cole, my...ex-husband," Phoebe said, uncertainly. She may as tell him, he is after all their Whitelighter, and he wouldn't tell if it would endanger them.  
  
Leo looked stunned when Phoebe had said that this guy was her husband. Then something occurred to him.  
  
"Ex?" AR Leo asked surprised that Phoebe would actually marry anyone.  
  
"Yes, ex-husband," Phoebe answered, seeing the look on his face she added, "long story."  
  
"Ah, would you please answer my first question now?" AR Leo asked.  
  
"Okay, well, hmm...where should I start this? Cole, a little help please?" Phoebe said turning to him.  
  
"Oh, fine. Well here's the thing, you are supposed to be with Piper right now, and Brad isn't even supposed to be with Phoebe," Cole said, being as blunt as possible.  
  
"I don't think it's any of your business what is going on between Piper and Dan. Who's Brad?" AR Leo asked, looking from Phoebe to Cole. Phoebe was about to answer, but Cole cut in.  
  
"He's the Halliwell's new Whitelighter. What, didn't you know?" Cole asked, looking at AR Leo quizzically.   
  
"What new Whitelighter, and how do you know about Whitelighters?" AR Leo asked suspiciously, looking again at Phoebe.  
  
"Oh, that doesn't really matter at the moment," Cole said, dismissing Leo's question with a wave of his hand.  
  
"What does matter, is the fact that this reality is screwed up, and you need to be with Piper at the moment," Cole said, his aggravation showing through.  
  
"Reality? What...what are you bloody talking about? Phoebe, is this...Cole person sane?" AR Leo said, turning from Cole to Phoebe.  
  
"Yes, of course he's sane," Phoebe said, suppressing her smile. Cole looked at her, and frowned at her.  
  
This is not the time, Cole thought to her, so that AR Leo couldn't hear.  
  
"Oh, fine," Phoebe answered, forgetting that he had spoke to her via telepathy.  
  
AR Leo looked at Phoebe confused. It seemed as though Phoebe had answered a question that Cole had asked, but he hadn't heard anything.  
  
"Are you a witch?" AR Leo asked tentatively. Cole scoffed at the thought.  
  
"A witch? Please. I'm not a witch, and I'm much more powerful than an average witch," Cole said, his voice showing that Leo's comment was absurd.  
  
"If you're not a witch, than what are you?" AR Leo asked, backing up a few steps, looking worriedly at Phoebe, wondering if she was safe.  
  
"Oh, I'm a demon. Well, technically, a human with demonic powers," Cole corrected. Wondering exactly what he was at the moment.  
  
'Oh, it's not time for that now!' Cole thought to himself, silently chastising himself for philosophizing now.  
  
"A demon? Phoebe, take my hand," AR Leo said, urgently, not taking his eyes off of Cole. When Phoebe didn't come, he glanced at her.  
  
"Phoebe," AR Leo hissed at her.  
  
"Calm down Leo, he isn't going to hurt me or you. Leo, can we speak to you somewhere so that we can explain this?" Phoebe asked, getting a migraine.  
  
Leo nodded hesitantly, still eyeing Cole warily. Cole simply shrugged and turned to walk to a nicer setting that was still secluded. Phoebe followed him, and AR Leo followed close behind.  
  
At the manor (at night)...  
  
"Hey you guys, have you seen Brad?" AR Phoebe asked her sisters while jumping and skipping her way to the dining room table.  
  
"Uh, no Phoebe, he hasn't come in yet from when he orbed out," Piper answered her, setting her plate down.  
  
"Thanks Piper," Phoebe said, when she sat down and began to eat her breakfast.  
  
"So...how is everything going with you and Brad?" Prue asked, looking at her baby sister, then glancing to Piper quickly, before she could notice.  
  
"Everything's going great. Hold on, why?" Phoebe added suspiciously, looking at her older sister.  
  
"Oh, nothing, nothing," Prue said, suppressing a smile. Her eyes darted back to Piper, who wasn't really paying attention. Phoebe's eyes lit up in understanding, and nodded slightly, showing that she understood.  
  
"So, has anyone heard from Leo?" Phoebe asked out of the blue. She grinned as Prue gave her one of her famous death glares, and Piper looked at the two shocked.  
  
Before anyone could answer her, or yell at her, the familiar light of an orb appeared, and Brad appeared.  
  
"Brad!" Phoebe said in excitement, as she jumped up and gave him a soft on his lips. Brad smirked inwardly, just wishing that Cole could see this. The look on his face would be priceless.  
  
"So, what did the Elders have to say?" Piper asked, still irritated at her sisters and the whole Leo thing.  
  
"Oh, nothing really. Just wanted a report," Brad said. Well, it wasn't a complete lie. Scier did want a report.  
  
"Will you be able to stay here tonight? Or do you have to go?" AR Phoebe asked, looking up at Brad. He just had to smile, at least a little bit. To have her like this without Cole interfering was too good to pass up.   
  
"I can stay here tonight, if you wanted," Brad said, looking around at the sisters.  
  
"Oh, sure of course you can. You don't mind using the couch do you?" Prue asked innocently at Brad.   
  
Brad grimaced at having to use the couch, he would much rather sleep in more...comfortable places.   
  
"No, I don't mind," Brad said, sighing quietly. 'At least I have her here. Oh, how much I wish that Cole were here right now.'  
  
The sisters and Brad were leaving to get ready for sleep, when all of a sudden Cole blurred in.  
  
"Surprise."  
  
***************************************  
  
All right, you have the right to just scream your head off at me if you're still reading this. I know I haven't updated this, it's just that I've gotten this major writer's block. Not only on this story but on the other ones I've been working on. So, don't be surprised if these updates are few and far between. But don't lose hope guys, I'll keep beating at this annoying writer's block, and try to come up with the goods sooner or later. Thanks for all of you who have been diligently waiting for the upcoming chapters of this story and others. So, thanks, really, and drop me a line when you're done reading. ^_^ 


	17. Finally, the Solution

Chapter-15 Finally, The Solution  
  
"Who the Hell are you?!" Prue exclaimed in surprise as she looked at Cole.  
  
"Hello Prue, long time no see. Especially since you're dead where I come from," Cole said, smiling at the absurdity. He glanced back at Brad who had turned pale when he had blurred in.  
  
"A better question would be what are you?" AR Phoebe asked, looking him over, clearly interested. Cole smiled at this, and when he looked back at Brad, his face turned from one of complete shock, to one of complete rage.   
  
"Uh, guys, you can come in now," Cole called out, signaling Phoebe and AR Leo to enter.   
  
The AR Charmed Ones and Brad looked at Cole like he was insane, and then gasped as Leo and, oddly enough, another Phoebe orbed in.   
  
"Leo!" Piper exclaimed. She was at first extremely happy that Leo had come back, and then she remembered Dan and how she was with him now.   
  
"Okay, now this is getting way too weird, even for us!" Phoebe exclaimed.   
  
At the sight of Leo, Brad became nervous. He knew that Piper was supposed to be with Dan now, and she would go to Leo now, if he weren't taken care of. Brad slowly put his right arm behind him, making sure no one saw him. He made a crossbow appear behind him, and he gripped it tightly, waiting to see what would happen. If worse came to worse, he would shoot Leo, and kill him if necessary.  
  
"Leo, what's going on, and who the Hell is this?" Prue asked angrily, indicating Phoebe.  
  
"Well, this is Phoebe. I mean, another Phoebe from a different reality," Leo answered. He turned to Piper, and for a second, you could see the longing and desire flicker through his eyes. He quickly hid it though, and turned his attention to Brad.  
  
"Who are you?" Leo asked, wondering whom this man was.  
  
"Oh, Leo, Brad, Brad, Leo. But you know that all ready don't you?" AR Phoebe asked looking at the two confused.  
  
"No, I don't know him. What is he?" Leo asked, looking just as confused as Phoebe and Piper.  
  
They all turned to Brad, who was clutching the crossbow behind him even tighter. He quickly leapt from away from Phoebe and shot an arrow to Leo, which was instantly replaced by another one, ready to shoot. Piper tried to freeze it, but was too slow. It hit Leo in the arm, and he fell to the ground, as the poison began to run through him. AR Piper ran to him, horrified.   
  
Cole quickly reacted, and trapped Brad in a force field before he could orb out. He turned to Leo, and looked on as he saw Leo being over come by the poison that he knew was running it's course.  
  
"Leo, oh my God, Leo," Piper cried. She was on the floor next to him, not knowing what to do.   
  
Phoebe knew that they had to at least stop the poison before it spread too much. She found a piece of cloth, and wrapped it tightly around his arm above the arrow.  
  
"What are we going to do? What's wrong, why is he in so much pain?" Piper asked helplessly, as she stroked Leo's forehead, where he had started to sweat.  
  
"It's the poison," Cole answered, knowing that Phoebe was too busy to answer her. It seemed that they hadn't encountered a dark-lighter yet.  
  
"What poison? Who the Hell are you?!" Prue asked angrily. She didn't know what to do either, and if this guy, whoever he was, could help Leo, then he better help.  
  
"Well, I'm just someone here to help make your live the way it should be," Cole answered. He turned back to Leo, and felt a pang of pain stab at his heart. When he had been human, he and Leo had become closer friends and he hated seeing him like this.  
  
"Phoebe, do you know what you can do for him?" Cole asked, kneeling next to Phoebe, AR Piper, and AR Leo.   
  
"Well, there are two things we could do. One, find another White-lighter, or two, switch powers with Leo, so one of us can heal him," Phoebe said, looking up at Cole. Through her eyes, and link, he could tell that she was feeling just as helpless.   
  
Through all of this, Brad was desperately trying to orb out. He kept running into the force field and eventually gave up. So he decided to watch them. He looked at Cole, who he didn't quite get how he was here and then looked at the other Phoebe. Then it clicked. 'They're from another reality, like I am!' Brad thought in revelation.   
  
Cole looked up, noticing that Brad was still there. He approached the field and grabbed Brad by the throat. He slammed him against the wall, and stared at him angrily.  
  
"Why the Hell did you do that?! Who are you?!" Cole yelled at him angrily through clenched teeth. Brad merely smirked back at Cole. Apparently, this wasn't the same Cole that had killed him. Unfortunately for him, that smirk only earned him another hard slam against the wall.  
  
"Ow," Brad said simply, as he felt something click in his back.  
  
"Are you working for Scier?" Cole asked angrily. He was still angry as Hell at this Brad person for what he had done to Leo.  
  
"Cole, could you put him down for a minute?" Phoebe asked him, placing her hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down a little bit before he killed him.  
  
"Thank you," Brad said, looking at this new Phoebe. She threw him a face of disgust.  
  
"Shut up. I only told him to put you down just so that he wouldn't kill you before we got some answers. Now, answer his question, are you, or are you not working for Scier?" Phoebe asked.  
  
"No, not really. You could just say that Scier did me a favor. You see, here, I was able to get something that I wasn't able to get in my own reality," Brad said, glancing at the other Phoebe that was looking at herself and a tall dark gorgeous guy interrogate her former boyfriend.  
  
"Phoebe. You couldn't get Phoebe in your own reality, so I'm supposing that Scier brought you from your own reality to this one, didn't he?" Cole said, figuring what had happened.  
  
"But why would he choose him? What would make Scier choose this dark-lighter?" Cole asked puzzled, turning to Phoebe.  
  
"I don't know Cole. Hey wait, why don't you try to look into his reality? I mean, if it works like my premonitions, than you can look into his by just touching him," Phoebe suggested.  
  
"Hey, that's a good idea. Hold on, and make sure that he doesn't get away," Cole said, as he concentrated on looking into another reality. He focused onto Brad's unique wave, and found the reality he came from. He looked in, a little bit into the past. What he saw, he gasped. He opened his eyes, and backed away in horror.  
  
"Cole? Cole, what is it?" Phoebe asked concerned, stepping in front of Cole, getting between him and Brad.  
  
"Phoebe, get away from him," Cole whispered, his shock still apparent in his voice. From Brad's smirk, he could tell that he knew what he had seen.  
  
"What happened? What did you see?" Phoebe asked, wondering what could have rattled Cole this much.  
  
"He...he...he raped you," Cole managed to make out.  
  
Phoebe looked at Cole, stunned. Near them, they could hear two sets of gasps, and heavy breathing, from AR Leo of course.  
  
Cole suddenly woke up from his state of shock, and lunged at Brad.  
  
"You bastard!" Cole said, as he punched Brad hard in the jaw.  
  
Brad staggered back from the force of Cole's punch. He didn't remember Cole being that strong. He must be much stronger than the Cole that he knew.  
  
Phoebe looked up into Cole's eyes and was scared from what she saw. She saw a rage and anger that she had never seen before in him, and she was scared stiff. If she didn't stop him, he probably would kill Brad.  
  
"Cole! Wait, we need to help Leo first, then deal with this scum," Phoebe said, holding him back.  
  
"Fine, but I want him after we help Leo," Cole spat out, his rage still there, but lessened by Phoebe. When he turned back to Phoebe, his anger softened even more as he saw the fear that was there. Fear that he had made. The type of fear that he had vowed not to create ever since he had regained Phoebe's friendship.  
  
"I'm sorry," Cole said, looking down.  
  
"It's all right, I understand, believe me," Phoebe said, giving Brad a cold stare.  
  
"C'mon," Phoebe said, pulling him away from Brad, but not before she put up a force field.  
  
"Um...I can see that there's something going on, but frankly, I don't care. Can you help Leo or not?" AR Piper asked anxiously still horrified that her baby sister had almost gone out with someone who had raped her somewhere else. She still didn't quite get the whole thing, but she got most of it.  
  
"Yes, we can still help him. You two can switch powers, and you can heal him Piper," Phoebe said, looking from AR Leo to Piper.  
  
"How?" Piper asked, looking desperately between Cole and Phoebe.  
  
"C'mon, I'll cast the spell," Phoebe said.  
  
30 min. later...  
  
Piper had healed Leo after they switched powers, and both had their own powers back now. Cole and Phoebe had filled in AR Piper, Phoebe, and Prue on why they were there.  
  
Phoebe looked at the two, and knew she had to get them back together, but how?  
  
"Prue, you know how Piper and Leo belong to each other right?" Phoebe asked Prue. She deadly wanted to hold her, and warn her of her upcoming death, but knew she shouldn't tamper with what was supposed to actually happen.  
  
"Yea, I mean everyone here can see that they're soul mates," Prue said.  
  
"Well, they're supposed to be together now. When Brad came, either he or Scier had screwed this reality up. So now, Piper needs to leave Dan, and go with Leo," Phoebe explained.  
  
"Well, we could always go with the direct approach," Cole suggested, hearing their conversation.  
  
Before Phoebe could stop him, Cole had all ready walked over to where AR Leo and Piper were talking and staring at each other in longing.  
  
"Okay, everyone here knows that you two belong together," Cole blurted out. He really didn't feel like going through the whole Oprah thing, so he just said it. AR Leo and Piper looked at him, with their mouths hanging agape.   
  
"Now Piper, I know that you think that you should stay with Dan, and you're being torn between the two. Let me assure you, Leo is your true soul mate, and you belong to him, just as he belongs to you," Cole said. Though how blunt Cole was, he was right as he was straightforward.   
  
"Now, you two get back together so me and Phoebe could deal with this Brad character," Cole said, eager to turn his attention back to Brad who was still trapped within a force-field.  
  
"But, Dan..." AR Piper began to object, but Cole cut her off before she could continue.  
  
"Will be all right. I know for a fact that you two are supposed to end up together, and are going to have a beautiful baby daughter," Cole said, dismissing her excuse with a wave.  
  
The news of them having a daughter shocked AR Piper and Leo.  
  
"Wh...What? Did I hear you correctly?" AR Leo asked, not believing his own ears.  
  
"Yes, it's true. You two are going to have a wonderful baby daughter," Phoebe interjected, approaching them. 'Maybe this approach is better than I thought' Phoebe thought to herself.  
  
"Okay, you two now go make-up while Phoebe and I handle Brad," Cole said, his tone quickly turning acidic.   
  
Cole turned back to Brad, who was starting to get worried. Cole and Phoebe had managed to heal Leo, and he seriously doubted that Scier would come back to save him.  
  
"Wait Cole. I want to know what's going on in his reality before we do anything," Phoebe said, noticing that Cole was about to jump on Brad again.   
  
"Oh fine then Phoebe," Cole said exasperated. "You know, you're really lucky."  
  
"I know," Brad replied.  
  
Cole grumbled at his response, wishing that he could just beat off that annoying smirk. One look at Phoebe thought told him that he wouldn't be able to.  
  
Cole sighed audibly, then concentrated on looking into Brad's reality. He decided to use himself as a conduit again so that Phoebe could see too.  
  
What he saw was really surprising. He saw himself, Phoebe and two kids. From what he saw, it was relatively the same point in time that they were currently in, but better. He and Phoebe were married, and had a son and daughter named Tom and Elizabeth. He smiled as he saw Liz crawling all over the AR Cole, and how happy he and Phoebe seemed. Then he saw Brad come in, and how he tried to steal Phoebe from him. When it was apparent that she would not leave Cole, he raped her.   
  
His heart broke again as he saw that horrifying scene again. Then, it got a little better when he saw AR Cole kill him with a fireball. He smiled at that, wondering if he could do that too.  
  
"So, ah, do you know what they're doing?" AR Prue asked her sisters as she stared at the two who seemed like they were meditating.  
  
"How should I know?" AR Phoebe shrugged as she looked on at a duplicate of herself and a really cute guy. She suddenly wondered how the other her knew him, and was there another him here?  
  
Cole fast-forwarded his sight about four years forward.  
  
He saw that their two children were safe, but he became worried as he saw Brad tricking Phoebe into thinking that he, or rather, AR Cole had cheated on her. He skipped a couple days, and saw that Phoebe had forgiven him, and understood that it wasn't really him, thanks to the premonition that Liz had in ht form of a nightmare, and he nearly laughed out right when he saw Tom scared out of his wits when he levitated.  
  
When Cole stopped looking into the other reality, he grimaced at what he had to do. He didn't want to send Brad back, especially after what he had done to Phoebe, and what he almost did to their marriage in another reality. For all intensive purposes, he wanted to kill Brad.  
  
Phoebe could feel the anger that was seeping through the link between them. She had never really seen Cole this angry, not even when he was evil. 'Oh my God, what if he becomes evil again?' Phoebe thought for a moment. If he became evil, she wouldn't know what to do, he was too powerful to vanquish before the gate, but now that he had it? She wouldn't be able to stop him at all.  
  
Cole felt Phoebe's anxiousness, and knew that she was worried about him turning evil.  
  
"Phoebe, what do you want to do?" Cole asked tentatively as he looked into her eyes.  
  
"Phoebe was startled by his question. The change from hate to kindness was too sudden, and it took her by surprise.  
  
"I don't think we should kill him Cole," Phoebe said. She could easily see the sag in his shoulders when she said that they shouldn't kill him. That also meant that he wouldn't kill him, unfortunately.  
  
"Fine, we won't kill him, but I don't think that we should leave him with all his memories intact," Cole advised.  
  
"Okay, and of course we can't leave him here," Phoebe said, indicating the reality.  
  
"Of course. He unfortunately needs to go back to that other reality where...you know," Cole said uncomfortably. To see it was one thing, but to actually admit to it was completely different.  
  
"Yea," Phoebe replied, equally uncomfortable.  
  
"Okay, hold on!" Prue said, interrupting their conversation. Cole and Phoebe looked up in alarm, and relaxed when they saw it was just Prue, albeit Phoebe's dead sister, but she could handle that.  
  
"Just exactly are you talking about. When you explained the whole alternate reality thing, we didn't quite get it," Prue said, taking her 'Prue' stance. She always took the initiative, and always led the group.   
  
Phoebe smiled at that thought, and saddened a little at that as well. She had come to turns with the death of her sister, and seeing her again brought pain as well as happiness.  
  
"Well, mainly, what needs to be done in this reality is that you," Cole said, pointing at AR Leo, "and Piper need to get back together, as soul mates. While him," Cole said, pointing at Brad, "needs to get back to his own reality."  
  
"Oh, that's all," Prue said sarcastically, rolling her eyes at them.  
  
"Wait, I've got a question," AR Phoebe asked.  
  
Phoebe turned to her AR self, and looked at her. It was kind of creepy, but kind of cool at the same time, and AR Phoebe was thinking the same thing.  
  
"Sure, what is it?" Phoebe said.  
  
"What are you going to do with Brad?"   
  
*******************************************************************  
  
Oooh, cliffhanger! Now all I have to do is actually decide what I want to do with Brad. So many choices, only one way I can go. :sighs: Darn. Oh well, tune into the next chapter and see what will happen to Brad. Oh, and thanks for the review Cole-Phoebe-Lover. Sorry to hear about that writer's block. I hear those are going around. ;-) Hope you get over it, would love to see what goes on in your story. And for everyone else, as per always, read and review! ^_^ 


	18. There and Back Again

Chapter 16- There And Back Again

"Hey you guys!" Phoebe called as she came out of the rip back to her own reality.

"Phoebe!" She heard Piper, Paige, and Leo call out.

"So…how's everything been while we've been gone?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, you got a couple calls from Elise, demanding you to go back to work," Paige answered her.

"Oh, and Cole got some calls too, something about a case he was working on. We just said that we didn't know anything about that, and he couldn't be reached at the moment," Piper interjected.

"Oh, that case. Well, whatever, I'll deal with that later. Where's Kara?" Cole asked, coming out of the rip behind Phoebe, hearing the last comment about his work.

"Um…I think she went into the kitchen. Kara?! Cole's back!" Leo called into the kitchen.

"Cole! Phoebe!" Kara called out, emerging from the kitchen. Cole knelt down, and opened his arms to receive the running Kara. They hugged each other tightly, and then let go.

"So, how was your latest reality trip?" Kara asked, knowing that they had to work quickly before Scier could contaminate any other realities.

"Well, it was interesting. Phoebe, do you want to tell them about it, or should I?" Cole asked, looking up at Phoebe.

"Do you mind if I do it? I kind of want to tell Piper about this one," Phoebe replied. Cole nodded his agreement, and led Kara to the couch, so that they could sit down and rest.

Phoebe proceeded in telling them about what had happened in the reality. When she informed Piper about Dan, she went rigid slightly, and you could visibly see Leo become a little stiff as well.

"Wait, you mean to tell me I was with Dan?" Piper asked, not believing her. Phoebe nodded. She looked to Cole and Kara, and noticed them smiling at each other, glad to be with each other again.

"Who's Dan?" Paige asked, not knowing him due to the fact that the family knew him before she became a witch.

"Oh, he was just a neighbor, and an ex-boyfriend of mine," Piper answered her.

"Yes, one with a perfect jaw, perfect hair, and the one who tried to steal you away from me," Leo added, partially grumbling his response. Kara and Cole grinned broader, as they listened to the conversation.

Piper slapped him playfully on the arm, trying to show him that he was the only one who she truly belonged with. Leo smiled in return, showing that she was forgiven.

As Phoebe continued her story, she reached the point about Brad, and everyone gasped, except for Kara, who just looked at the floor sadly.

"Y-you mean that he could have r-raped you. You mean that he did in another reality?" Piper stuttered. The thought of her baby sister violated like that made her sick.

"Yea, I know. I just don't know what would've happened if we didn't show up to stop the insanity," Phoebe said.

"Yea, and too bad you didn't let me kill him," they heard Cole grumble.

"Yea Phoebe, what did you do to him? From what we hear from Cole over here, we see that you didn't kill him," Paige said, looking at Cole then to Phoebe.

"Well, Cole kind of erased Brad's memory, you know, the other reality thing, and Scier, and then we dumped him back into his own reality," Phoebe answered.

They heard a small cry from the Cole's room. Cole and Phoebe looked up startled. Leo and Piper noticed this, and quickly reassured them.

"Oh, we just put Melinda in your room, I hope you don't mind," Piper said, getting up and walking to his bedroom.

"Of course not," Cole replied as he saw Piper coming back with Melinda in her arms. She was playing with Piper's hair as she was carried to the group. She was then handed over to Leo, where he bounced her up and down a little bit. She giggled and laughed as she went up and down in his arms.

Cole and Phoebe looked at the two, and smiled at the sight. Leo smiling at Melinda, and Melinda smiling back. Cole wished that he could have that too, but knew it wouldn't be happening, at least in his reality.

Phoebe could feel Cole's sadness, and turned to him. He was still staring at Leo and Melinda. Phoebe looked closer, and saw longing in his eyes. She realized it was probably because he wanted a kid, and even though he loved Kara, he wished he had been there when she was growing up to do what Leo was doing with Melinda now.

Cole could feel Phoebe's eyes on him, and he looked into her eyes. He held her gaze for a while, and then broke it off quickly. He didn't want to feel her pity at that moment, he had enough of his own to deal with all ready.

Kara looked between the two, and she saddened a little. 'Maybe I won't be reborn here after all' Kara thought to herself sadly.

"Kara, could you give me the time for the next reality we'll be going to?" Cole asked suddenly, standing up.

"Uh-uh. You two," Kara said pointing at Cole and Phoebe, "are going to rest first, and call your works so that you could put at ease any suspicions. You got that?" Kara asked, looking at both Phoebe and Cole, but mostly Cole. Cole looked like he was about to object, but then decided against it. He simply nodded and so did Phoebe. Kara smiled a little at this, and relaxed onto the couch again. Cole didn't sit back down though, and walked to his bedroom.

"Hey, where are you going?" Paige asked suspiciously.

"Kara said I had to rest, so I'm going," Cole snapped before shutting the door, a little harder than was necessary to shut a door.

"What's his problem?" Piper asked. She then turned back to Melinda and played with her while she was sitting on Leo's lap.

"Beats me. Anyone want to go home?" Paige offered.

"Uh, you four can go home, I need to talk to Kara," Phoebe said.

"Okay, just be sure your home soon so you can call Elise. Oh, and we kind of have this demon, that isn't really that much of a problem, but we kind of need the power of three. We'll see you later, and remember, be sure to get home soon," Piper called back before being orbed back to the manor by Leo. Paige gave Phoebe a suspicious look, and then followed Leo's lead and orbed back to the manor.

"So, what'd you want to talk about?" Kara asked, sitting down next to her mother.

"Well, mainly Cole. What's going on here?" Phoebe asked straightforwardly. Kara looked at her shocked, then relaxed a little bit. She had been caught.

"Well, mainly I want to be reborn here if it's possible," Kara admitted. Phoebe looked stunned.

"What do you mean, 'reborn'?" Phoebe asked nervously.

"Exactly what it sounds like, I want to be reborn between you and Cole, here in this reality," Kara said indignantly looking up at Phoebe.

"So, basically, what you mean is that you want to set me up with Cole?" Phoebe asked.

"In a nutshell," Kara answered. She sighed knowing now that Phoebe knew about her plans, she wouldn't be tricked, or to use a lighter phrase, her feelings revealed so easily now.

"Well, as much as I want to…" Phoebe trailed off, seriously considering the offer.

Kara was shocked. Phoebe had just indiscreetly admitted that she still loved Cole.

Upon seeing Kara's shocked face, Phoebe grinned, knowing that she had said that she loved Cole. But she still knew that no matter what her feelings toward him were, she couldn't go back to him, not now.

"Then…why aren't you with him now?" Kara asked quietly, getting over her shock.

Phoebe looked down into her lap, her eyes gleaming with a resigned sadness and love that made Kara feel depressed for her mother.

"Because…I know that no matter what, I will always love him. Even though we're soul mates, and we will never find anyone else, we are left with only each other that we can never move on, I know we can't be together. I just can't fall into that pit again, and I know that a lot of people would be endangered because of what might happen. I love him, with all my heart and soul, but I can never have him." Phoebe let out a sigh laced with her grief. She had finally admitted to it. To the gnawing pain inside her heart that tempted and begged her to go back to him, to be with him again. It was hard to admit to it, hiding it for so long, even from herself. It was hard to have to live with it, day in and day out, never finding peace.

Cole had walked in, his mouth dry and his throat constricted.

Phoebe heard a soft noise, and broke out of her reverie, to find Cole standing in shock, staring at her with such pain and sadness shining through his eyes. The window to the soul they say. Well, judging by his eyes, his soul was being tormented and beaten at the moment.

"Cole…"

---------------------------

Again, I apologize for the really really late update. I've got a lot of other stories besides this one going on, and I'm sort of starting to get confused. Now, I'm not giving up on this story, merely holding off on it a bit, so I can get rid of all the other stuff that's interfering with this one. So, don't give up hope, and tell me what you think of this latest chapter, hopefully, not too off course.  
  
-ja ne


	19. Author's Note

Well, I'd just like to say I'm sorry about how slow I've been when it comes to updating this story. The truth is, I had actually planned out the entire story right up to the beginning of the third installment. The thing is, I lost all the papers that had my entire plans. This, as you all can imagine, made me very mad. I'm gonna have to remember what I had planned and write it down again. So whoever is still reading this, thanks for your loyalty, and I promise I'll work as fast as I can on this story. So, sorry again, and just know that I haven't given up on this story.

-Me


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